National Storytelling Week
February 2 - February 8
National Storytelling Week takes place every year and is a celebration of the power of sharing stories. Stories teach us about the world, they allow us to step into someone else’s shoes and feel empathy, they help us to relax and escape and they can help develop essential #Literacy skills.
In 2025, National Storytelling Week will be taking place from 2nd February to 8th February.
What is the theme for National Storytelling Week?
The theme for National Storytelling Week 2026 is Soundtrack your story. Everyone has their own musical story – whether it’s in the songs we love and the music we dance to, through British Sign Language and the rhythms we feel, the soundscapes of everyday life, or the soundtracks we hear in films and games. Music connects us to words. It helps us express who we are and how we see the world.
Research highlights that exploring stories through lyrics can be an effective way to re-engage young people with reading for enjoyment and writing for pleasure. Slightly more than 3 in 5 (60.7%) children and young people age 8-18 regularly read song lyrics digitally. Writing song lyrics is also popular among children and young people age 8-18, with slightly less than 1 in 5 (17.8%) reporting that they write lyrics on a screen at least once a month.
National Storytelling Week will be a celebration of both storytelling and writing for pleasure. At a time when young people’s writing enjoyment levels are at their lowest, National Storytelling Week has never been more important.
The classroom activities span early years, primary and secondary, and we’d love you to take part in all elements for your phase.
#NationalStorytellingWeek2026 #ReimagineYourWorld
Source: National Storytelling Week 2026 Activities, Events And Resources | National Literacy Trust