Writing and reading activities for children and young people

Blogs

Spread the Word has made a list of free writing-inspired online activities for children and young people to explore during this lockdown, as part of our Young People’s Laureate for London Cecilia Knapp’s #WriteThroughThis campaign. All activities are free to participate in, or are costed under £5 – activities with a cost attached are noted in the description, otherwise they are free. We have noted the target age groups if specified by the activity, otherwise we have tried to group the opportunity in the right age group. Spread the Word isn’t responsible for the content on external sites.

Early years

  • National Literacy Trust – Words for Life Activities  (0 – 5 years)

https://wordsforlife.org.uk/activities/

  • CBeebies Literacy

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/topics/literacy

  • Scholastic Julia Donaldson resources (3-5 year olds)

https://resource-bank.scholastic.co.uk/content/FREE-Julia-Donaldson-and-Axel-Scheffler-Home-Learning-Packs-40114

Primary

  • National Centre for Writing – Story Prompts for Young Writers (6+)

https://courses.nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/p/story-prompts-young-writers

  • National Centre for Writing – Writing Interesting Characters  (10 – 12 years)

https://courses.nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/p/interesting-characters-10-12s/

  • National Centre for Writing – Writing Bouddica  (10 – 12 years)

https://courses.nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/p/writing-boudica-10-12s/

  • National Centre for Writing – All My Friends are Superheroes (9 – 12 years)

https://courses.nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/p/all-my-friends-are-superheroes-9-12s/

  • National Centre for Writing – The Magic of Language  (9 – 12 years)

https://courses.nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/p/the-magic-of-language-9-12s

  • National Centre for Writing – Poetry, Paradise and Playing About (9 – 12 years)

https://courses.nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/p/play-with-poetry-09-12s

  • National Centre for Writing – All the World’s A Stage  (6-9 year olds)

https://courses.nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/p/worlds-a-stage-6-9

  • National Centre for Writing – Writing Lyrics  (9-12 year olds)

https://courses.nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/p/writing-lyrics-09-12s

  • Simon Mole Live Online Poetry workshops

https://www.simonmole.com/schools/online-poetry-workshops/

  • National Literacy Trust – Words for Life Activities

https://wordsforlife.org.uk/activities/

  • Harrow Arts Centre – The Zookeeper Adventure with Laila Sumpton- 13 – 15 April (6-9 year olds) Pay What You Can from £2

https://harrowarts.com/whats-on/event/hacfromhome-the-zookeeper-adventure

  • Dr Louise Tondeur –  creative writing resources for homeschooling

https://www.louisetondeur.co.uk/welcome-teachers/free-creative-writing-downloads/

  • Eugenia Sestini – creative writing prompts for children

https://www.eugeniasestini.com/blog

  • Ministry of Stories Community Writing Labs (8 – 15 year olds who live within 500m of Ministry of Stories Writing Centre)

https://ministryofstories.org/community-labs/

  • Scholastic Julia Donaldson resources (5 – 7 year olds)

https://resource-bank.scholastic.co.uk/content/FREE-Julia-Donaldson-and-Axel-Scheffler-Home-Learning-Packs-40114

  • Walker Books At Home with the Walker Bear

https://stayhome.walker.co.uk/

  • Puffin Storytime

https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/children/2020/apr/puffin-storytime-series.html

  • Grimm & Co Writing Activities for home  (7 – 18 years)

https://grimmandco.co.uk/activities/

  • British Library in partnership with Seven Stories – Discovering Children’s Books

https://www.bl.uk/childrens-books?gclid=CjwKCAiAjeSABhAPEiwAqfxURRjZxU_TzAZa0Eh30Eea2YSCmfrSOGiCq253H9TiTXziYfIyILiRLBoCBOMQAvD_BwE#

Secondary school

  • National Centre for Writing – How To Write Weird (13 – 17 years)

https://courses.nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/p/how-to-write-weird-13-17s/

  • National Centre for Writing – Writing Interesting Characters (13 – 17 years)

https://courses.nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/p/writing-interesting-characters-for-ages-13-17/

  • National Centre for Writing – Art in a Time of Crisis – Turning Emotion into Writing  (13 – 17 years)

https://courses.nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/p/art-in-a-time-of-crisis-13-17s/

  • National Centre for Writing – Bodies of Work – Writing poems using the body as inspiration  (13 – 17 year olds)

https://courses.nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/p/bodies-of-work-13-17

  • National Centre for Writing – Writing Lyrics (13 – 17 year olds)

https://courses.nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/p/writing-lyrics-13-17s

  • Battersea Arts Centre – Get Creative at Home

https://bac.org.uk/create-with-us/

  • National Literacy Trust – Words for Life Activities

https://wordsforlife.org.uk/activities/

  • Dr Louise Tondeur – Creative writing resources for homeschooling

https://www.louisetondeur.co.uk/welcome-teachers/free-creative-writing-downloads/

  • Grimm & Co – writing activities at home  (7 – 18 year olds)

https://grimmandco.co.uk/activities/

16 – 25 year olds 

https://wordsforlife.org.uk/activities/

  • Roundhouse – #RoundYourHouse

https://www.roundhouse.org.uk/home/round-your-house

  • Battersea Arts Centre – Get Creative at Home

https://bac.org.uk/create-with-us/

 

Published 4 February 2021