Children’s Enjoyment of Writing at Historic Low: Report

UK children are writing less for fun than ever before, as literacy experts warn of a deepening engagement crisis.

Children at a primary school in Yorkshire, England, on Nov. 27, 2019. Danny Lawson/PA Wire

A UK-wide survey shows that the number of children and young people who write for pleasure continues to decline, a literacy charity said in a June 25 social media post.

The survey by the National Literacy Trust (NLT) found just one in four children and young people said they enjoy writing in their free time, a drop of more than 20 percent in 15 years.

“Daily writing levels stabilised somewhat over the last year, decreasing by 0.7 percentage points between 2024 and 2025, after halving between 2023 and 2024. They are, however, at historically low levels in 2025, as part of a sustained downward trend,” the report states.

Jonathan Douglas, chief executive of the NLT, said the results paint a “sobering view of writing culture in the UK.”

The decline was most pronounced among primary-aged children, with a six percent drop in enjoyment reported in just the last year. Overall, disengagement with writing has deepened across all age groups.

The 16–18 age group had the sharpest decline in writing enjoyment, with 14–16-year-olds following a similar downward trend.

Regionally, the South East of England recorded the lowest percentage of respondents who said they write something daily in their free time.

The NLT said that writing for pleasure plays a crucial role in improving children’s critical thinking skills, confidence, creativity, and well-being.

According to the report, 37 percent of young people said they write to relax, while 31.4 percent said it makes them feel happy.

Children’s author and former English teacher Emma Clarke told The Epoch Times that writing provides children with an escape, helping them process emotions and explore their imagination.

“You’re creating new worlds. You’re creating new characters. I’ve had students who weren’t incredibly strong in English, but writing gave them a way to process what they were going through,” Clarke said.

The NLT also found that writing helps children learn new words, explore ideas, and communicate.

What Motivates Children to Write?

Douglas said the report provides actionable insights into what encourages young people to write.

Younger children are more likely to engage with writing when offered creative prompts, personal topics, and freedom of choice. Teenagers are harder to reach and respond less to creative and social motivators

Older groups said that being free to choose their topics and keeping a private writing journal were important motivators.

“By focusing on what motivates children and young people, particularly autonomy, creativity, and personal and cultural relevance, they are far more likely to engage with it on their own terms. That’s where true progress begins,” Douglas said.

Clarke added that school visits from authors and writing workshops can help spark enthusiasm. She also stressed the importance of teachers understanding each student’s personal interests.

“You’ve got to find a way in. If a child is into farming, for example, get them to write about a farming mishap or a day in the life of a farmer,” she said. “Some children worry they’ll be asked to read their work aloud. So it’s important to let them write without pressure, just getting started is already a win.”

Gender, Format Differences

The report noted that although girls have historically enjoyed writing more than boys, their enjoyment has dropped more sharply in recent years.

Boys still report the lowest levels of writing enjoyment and frequency overall.

Children use a variety of formats to write in their free time. While paper remains the preferred medium for diary entries, letters, and short stories (page 30), children turn to screens to write lyrics, scripts and reviews.

“Across all formats, writing on paper experiences a steeper decline than writing on screen,” the study found.

Clarke said the shift toward digital devices makes it harder to keep children engaged with reading and writing.

“Children [have] so much technology at their fingertips, so many short, quick fixes of dopamine that they can get elsewhere. I think reading and writing is a very different difficult battle,” Clarke said.

She said reading is key to unlocking children’s literacy potential and helping them understand different types of writing.