Many children love telling stories, making up poems, or filling notebooks with imaginative ideas, but it can be hard to know where to take that interest next. Writing competitions can be a really encouraging way for kids to share their work, build confidence, and feel proud of their creativity.
Some contests are just for fun, while others offer certificates, publication, or prizes, and many are open to children of all ages, from early writers right through to teens.
Poetry and Writing Competitions for Kids Who Love to Write
Below is a helpful list of writing and poetry competitions that children can enter, with clear information about age ranges, location restrictions, and what kind of writing they are looking for, so you can find something that feels like a good fit for your child.
There are so many different opportunities out there. When I was a teenager myself I entered a foreign languages poetry writing competition and won a prize for my poem written in Arabic, which was a great experience that I still remember fondly twenty years later!
1. Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award
Type: Poetry
Age: 11–17
Where: International (open to young poets from many countries)
Details: Submit original poems (usually under 40 lines). Very well-known youth poetry contest run by The Poetry Society.
2. BBC 500 Words (UK)
Type: Creative writing (any genre)
Age: 5–11
Where: UK
Details: One of the UK’s largest kids’ writing competitions — short stories based on any theme. Annual contest.
3. Young Writers Competitions (UK & US)
Type: Poetry and creative writing
Age: Varies by contest (examples: 5–7, 8–10, teens)
Where: UK and US (multiple contests throughout year)
Details: The Young Writers organization runs themed writing and poetry challenges for different age groups. Some entries may be published in real books.
4. Solstice Nature Prize for Young Writers (UK)
Type: Short stories, poems, essays
Age Categories: 7-11, 12-14, 15-17 (also young adult 18-25)
Where: UK (regional)
Details: Nature-themed creative writing with different age groups and prize categories.
More info on their website – look out for information for 2026
5. Junior Writers Challenge
Type: Short stories, rhymes, mini-stories
Age Categories: 5–8, 9–11, 12–14, 15–18
Where: International
Details: Short creative writing challenges with specific word counts by age group.
More information on their website. New challenges added regularly
6. Taradiddle Youth Writing Contests
Type: Short stories on fun themes
Age: Up to 18 (divided into age brackets)
Where: International
Details: Animal-themed story contests with cash prizes and publication on Taradiddle.org.
More information on their website
7. World Youth Writing Competition (WYTEA)
Type: Creative writing
Age Categories: Preschool (3–5), 6–7, 8–9, 10–11, 12–13, 14–15, 16–18
Where: Global
Details: Free to enter, worldwide writing competition with multiple age groups.
More information on their website. Multiple options to check out
8. International Letter-Writing Competition for Young People (UPU)
Type: Letter writing
Age: Various (young people); specific age groups vary by year
Where: International
Details: Run by the Universal Postal Union in partnership with UNESCO/IMO; themed letter-writing challenge worldwide.
More info on their website. This is the 2025 link, so look out for updates for 2026. The UN also run some other interesting challenges, right now there is an infographic contest and robotics contest – very cool opportunities! Check out all the contests here.
9. Lune Spark Young Writers’ Short Story Contest
Type: Short stories
Age: Children and teens (minors)
Where: International
Details: Entry leads to publication in print/digital anthology and cash awards.
10. PBS Kids Writers Contest
Type: Stories and poems (with illustration options)
Age: Kindergarten to Grade 12 (varies locally)
Where: USA (local PBS stations)
Details: The PBS kids writing contest is an annual contest with word count categories by grade level; local winners often advance to national levels.
More info on their website – this contest is returning in 2027
Royal Mint Museum Short Story Competition
Type: Short story competition
Age: 7–11
Where: United Kingdom
Details: This annual creative writing contest invites young writers to submit an original short story of no more than 500 words inspired by the theme of gold — from buried treasure to shiny coins and glimmering vaults. Entries are open from February 16 to April 17, 2026 and can be submitted online or by post (follow guidance on the competition page). The competition is free to enter and open to both school and home educated children who live in the UK.
Prizes: The winner receives a half-sovereign gold proof coin, £5,000 in vouchers for books and equipment for their school or local library, and a framed illustrated copy of their story; there are also second and third prizes with silver coins and vouchers.
Time to Write 2026
Type: Creative writing (stories)
Age: Primary and secondary school pupils
Where: UK (school-linked entry)
Details: A long-running UK writing challenge where winning stories can be published as illustrated books. Entries for 2026 are open now until early February 1, 2026.
Young Poet Laureate Programme
Type: Poetry
Age: Young writers (varies, typically teens)
Where: UK
Details: This National Literacy Trust program invites submissions of original poems. Deadline for 2026 is January 30, 2026, with shortlisted poets gaining mentoring and publication opportunities.
More information on the website
Write the World Monthly Competitions
Type: Creative writing (varied genres)
Age: Ages 13–19
Where: International (online)
Details: Free monthly writing challenges with different prompts and genres, good regular opportunities for teen writers to practice and enter contests.
More information on the website
One Teen Story Contest
Type: Short story
Age: Teen writers
Where: International (online)
Details: Opens annually around September 15 to December 1, 2025 for the 2026 cycle. A dedicated contest for teenage fiction.
Charles Causley Young People’s Poetry Competition
Type: Poetry
Age: 5–18
Where: UK
Details: Free to enter; winners awarded at the Launceston Poetry Festival. The deadline for the 2026 competition was January 4, 2026 (watch for next year’s dates).
National Writing Invitational (Various Contests)
Type: Fiction, poetry, essays
Age: K–12 (multiple age categories)
Where: International
Details: Ongoing opportunities with flexible deadlines throughout the year for young writers to submit work across genres.
Christopher Tower Poetry Competition
Type: Poetry
Age: Secondary (students 16–19)
Where: UK
Details: Free entry poetry competition for older teens, with a theme and line limit; deadline usually early in the year (around Feb 2026).
Prizes: This competition has a 5000 cash prize for the winner and smaller runner up prizes too.
Poetry by Heart
Type: Performance & poetry recitation
Age: 7+ through teen categories
Where: UK
Details: While this is not a writing contest per se, it’s an active poetry participation event where young people learn and perform poems, very useful for kids who love language and poetry.
More information and register here
Do You Have to Enter Through a School?
Some writing and language competitions are designed to be entered through schools, often because teachers help manage submissions or run internal rounds before sending entries on.
This is common for larger international contests and national school-based initiatives. However, many writing and poetry competitions are also open to individual entries, meaning children and teens can take part independently without needing a school to submit on their behalf.
This makes them a great option for home educated teens or children, as well as families who enjoy working on creative projects at home. Writing competitions can be a lovely long-term project, giving kids something meaningful to work towards while building confidence, language skills, and a sense of achievement along the way.
Other Opportunities Worth Checking Yearly
These contests aren’t always open, but they often have youth categories or age-appropriate divisions:
- Betjeman Poetry Prize – UK poetry for ages 10–13.
- Young Walter Scott Prize – historical fiction for ages 11–19 (UK).
- Stone Soup Magazine Contests – monthly flash fiction and annual story/poetry contests for under 14. They also have music contests for young composers.
- Local library, newspaper, community club writing contests are great smaller scale options.
- NaNoWriMo – Not technically a competition but a challenge and one with an active online community. My sister and I completed this and wrote our first full book as a part of this challenge at around 15 years old, it is a lot of fun.
Tips Before Entering
- Always check exact age eligibility and deadline on the official contest page (many deadlines change yearly).
- Some writing contests have entry fees, while others are free kids writing competitions.
- Submission rules differ. Some require parent/guardian input for minors.
Entering a writing competition does not have to be about winning. For many kids, simply finishing a piece of writing, submitting it, and knowing someone else will read it can be a huge confidence boost.
These competitions can also help children see themselves as real writers and poets, not just kids doing schoolwork. Whether your child loves poetry, short stories, letters, or creative writing of any kind, there are plenty of age-appropriate opportunities available. Choosing one that matches their interests and keeping the experience positive and low-pressure can help nurture a lifelong love of writing.
This list at wordplaywisdom is also super useful for ideas on places that accept submissions, if your young person is looking for more opportunities to send their writing out into the world.
If your child or teen enjoys writing they may also enjoy debating. We have a huge list of debate topics for kids too, including printable cards.
Writing Activities for Kids
If your child enjoys entering writing competitions, regular writing activities at home can help build confidence and keep creativity flowing. Simple story prompts, journaling, comic strips, letter writing, and short daily writing challenges all give kids a chance to practice their ideas in a relaxed way.
These kinds of activities help children see writing as something fun and expressive rather than something that only happens at school.
- Fun Story Writing Worksheets for Kids – With a Pack of Picture Prompts!
- Women’s History Month Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages
- Roll a Story Writing Prompt Book For Kids (Free Printable Sample Pages)
- A-Z of Summer literacy for preschoolers
Poetry Resources for Kids
Poetry can be a lovely way for children to play with language, rhythm, and emotions, especially for those who enjoy shorter pieces of writing. Exploring kid-friendly poetry resources, reading poems aloud, and experimenting with rhyme or free verse can make poetry feel accessible and enjoyable at any age.
- How to Write Blackout Poetry for Kids
- Short English poems for kids to recite
- Earth Day poems for kids
- Rainbow Poems
- From a Railway Carriage
- Autumn Poetry Prompts
If you found this list of writing competitions helpful, please consider sharing it with other parents, teachers, or caregivers who might be looking for creative opportunities for young writers too.
