Senior school students create clay Kawaii food

Coinciding with wellbeing week, Ms Conroy ran an air-dyed clay workshop over February, with support from Ms Dutton, to create Kawaii food. An emerging Japanese school of thought, which revolves around the study of Kawaii or the quality of being cute, has found evidence that looking at cute things can boost mood and concentration by tapping into the same chemical reward system in the brain that derives pleasure from chocolate or gaming! Cuteness may help to facilitate wellbeing and complex social relationships by activating brain networks associated with emotion and pleasure, and triggering empathy and compassion. Some psychology studies even suggest that cuteness can affect your temperament and wellbeing by releasing positive ‘happy’ hormones, like Dopamine. 

Students at the workshop fashioned their models out of clay, before applying a basecoat, and then painting their model, over a series of four sessions. We're delighted to share their Kawaii final products with you.

Ms Conroy said:

‘Wellbeing is at the core of everyone’s health and learning ways in which to support ourselves in maintaining a positive sense of well-being is as equally important as our diets’.  

Find out more about wellbeing at St Mary's here.