National Writing Day: June 25th 2025
Writing Research
Recent research into children and young people's writing, conducted in 2024, found the following:
Fewer than 3 in 10 (28.7%) children and young people aged 8 to 18 say they enjoy writing in their free time—this marks the lowest level recorded.
Only 1 in 9 (11.1%) report writing daily in their free time, which is half of what it was the previous year.
Of those who write at least once a month, 3 in 5 (59.1%) write to be creative, while half write to express their thoughts (52.8%) or feelings (47.7%).
Interestingly, children’s enjoyment of writing at home is declining, but their enjoyment of writing at school has increased. Over half (53.6%) of children now enjoy writing at school, marking a 22% increase from the previous year.
What is National Writing Day?
National Writing Day is an annual celebration that encourages people of all ages and abilities to embrace creative writing. It aims to inspire individuals to explore writing as a fun and expressive activity.
Why is National Writing Day Celebrated?
National Writing Day serves as an opportunity to highlight the reasons why young people write—whether for creativity, mental well-being, or social connection—and to motivate everyone to discover their own writing voice and personal motivation.
When is National Writing Day?
In 2025, National Writing Day will take place on Wednesday, June 25.
Why Writing is Important
Writing is a lifelong skill that fosters communication and self-expression. It is crucial to the development of children and young people, building their self-confidence, critical thinking, and creativity. Writing is not only a part of academic life but is also integrated into everyday tasks—whether texting friends, completing homework, writing workplace emails, or making shopping lists. However, 1 in 3 children leave primary school without the necessary writing skills to succeed in life.
At the National Literacy Trust, the focus is on promoting writing for enjoyment, a key component in helping children and young people achieve better writing outcomes.
Benefits of Writing for Enjoyment:
Supports mental well-being;
Inspires creativity;
Helps children express their thoughts and feelings and
Improves overall writing skills.
Writing can be explored beyond the confines of an English lesson. It serves as an engaging way to delve into various ideas and topics, which in turn enhances mental well-being and strengthens connections to the world. The Trust’s resources offer activities that integrate writing for enjoyment across different learning environments.
Through research, ten writing motivators were identified, grouped into three main categories of young writers:
The Creative Writer;
The Mindful Writer; and
The Social Writer.
Resources and writing programmes are tailored to support these different types of young writers.
National Writing Day Resources
To help mark National Writing Day and celebrate writing year-round, various classroom resources have been developed. These include activities and insights for both early years children and ideas for pupils aged 4 to 14.
Writing for Pleasure Activities for Schools
This resource offers an innovative range of classroom writing games, prompts, and activities suitable for primary and secondary schools. It encourages reflection on why writing matters and motivates everyone to find their personal writing voice. These activities align with the Key Stages 1 and 2 National Curriculum in England, ensuring that pupils develop positive attitudes toward writing and build stamina for longer writing tasks by:
Writing narratives about personal experiences and those of others (both real and fictional).
Writing about real events;
Writing poetry; and
Writing for different purposes.
National Writing Day Activities and Prompts
Engage in activities that inspire creativity and encourage reflection on the purpose of writing. Whether for school projects or personal expression, these prompts can help students and educators celebrate the joy of writing and discover new motivations.
Get ready for National Writing Day 2025 on June 25, and join in the celebration of writing and self-expression!
Office 27, East Moons Moat Business Centre
Oxleasow Rd, Redditch B98 0RE
Phone: 0333 207 0737
