Student Wellbeing

Flow Fridays with our Year 5/6s

During 2026, the Year 5/6s have finished off each week on Friday afternoons engaged in activities that aim to allow students to feel a sense of what is known as "FLOW".  The concept of FLOW and achieving MAXIMAL ENGAGEMENT, according to research, leads to feelings of happiness and enjoyment in performing a task and improves skills of concentration and perseverance.

Have you ever found yourself completely lost in an activity, and suddenly realized an hour had passed and you thought it had only been a few minutes?

A Hungarian-American researcher in the 1970s named Mihaly Csikszentmihályi invented a word for this.  He called it flow, and his research is referred to as “flow theory.”

Choosing an activity that you find intrinsically rewarding that you become fully immersed in, is the most likely to trigger the flow state.  Some examples could be cooking, gardening, hiking, reading, fishing, running, swimming, gaming, yoga, painting, crafts, and so on. Kotler (2021) recommends at least 60-90 minutes once or preferably twice a week to immerse yourself in the activity undistracted. 

This trains your brain toward intrinsic enjoyment and the experience of flow, with the evidence showing that over time flow can be learnt and even transfered to classroom activities that may be considered less enjoyable and can also increase one's level of focus, concentration and persistence at tasks with just the right level of challenge.  

Term 2's Flow Friday Activities

Many thanks to our 5/6 teachers, Mrs Cameron and Mrs Hayes, along with Mrs Dimogerondas, Mrs O'Shannassy and myself for the organisation involved in providing activities that the students have suggested provide them with a sense of flow and a level of challenge within their engagement of these.  Term 2 Flow Fridays will consist of two 4-week blocks with the following flow activities:

• Bike Riding
• Choreographic Dance
• Fishing
• Hiking

The students all had a wonderful time last Friday and can't wait for the next session this Friday.  If you have talents in these areas, have your Working With Children Certificate and have the time to assist with any of these activities, we would love to have your assistance.  Please contact me on my email below.

Kind regards,

Jenny Todd

(Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader)

 jennyt@sjsorrento.catholic.edu.au