National Storytelling Week 2026: Soundtrack Your Story

Posted on 1 January 2025

National Storytelling Week is back from 2 – 8 February 2026, and this year’s theme invites children and young people to explore stories in a new, creative way with ‘Soundtrack Your Story’.

Whether you’re sharing a bedtime story at home, planning a classroom activity, or simply looking for new ways to spark a love of reading, National Storytelling Week is a reminder that stories are for everyone, and that storytelling can be playful, noisy, musical, and full of imagination, for everyone.

What is National Storytelling Week?

National Storytelling Week is a nationwide celebration of storytelling, reading, and writing for pleasure. Taking place during the National Year of Reading 2026, it highlights the importance of stories at a time when children’s enjoyment of reading is at its lowest level in recent years.

Stories can help children to understand the world, build empathy, and escape into another world or adventure, while developing essential literacy skills. By celebrating storytelling in all its forms, the week encourages children to see themselves as storytellers, whatever their interests or abilities.

Soundtrack Your Story

The 2026 theme explores how sound and music shape the stories we read and tell. From our favourite songs and everyday soundscapes to TV, film, and game soundtracks, sound plays a powerful role in how stories are experiences. Children are invited to explore storytelling through:

• The songs they love and the music they dance to
• British Sign Language and the rhythms we feel
• Environmental sounds and soundscapes
• Film, TV, and game soundtracks

How sound can re-ignite reading for pleasure

Sound and music are closely linked to emotion and memory, making them a powerful bridge into storytelling. Research from The National Literacy Trust highlights that exploring stories through lyrics can be an effective way to re-engage young people with reading for pleasure. Slightly more than 3 in 5 (60.7%) children and young people aged 8-18 regularly read song lyrics digitally.

Bring National Storytelling Week into your classroom

You don’t need to be a music specialist to take part. Here are some simple ways to explore ‘Soundtrack Your Story’ in the classroom this National Storytelling Week and beyond:

• Watch one of our author readings explore how sound brings the story to life
• Create a story inspired by a piece of music or a simple soundscape
• Ask pupils to choose a “soundtrack” for their favourite scene from a book
• Explore song lyrics as poems or narratives
• Encourage storytelling using rhythm, clapping or simple instruments
• Pair storytelling with drama, dance, or movement

Celebrate National Storytelling Week at home

Storytelling at home often happens naturally and doesn’t require any specialist knowledge. Families can join in by:

• Watching one of our author readings and explore how sound brings the story to life
• Reading aloud and sharing stories
• Talking about family memories linked to favourite songs or sounds
• Encouraging children to tell a story inspired by a song or everyday sounds

Listen, watch, and get inspired

To support National Storytelling Week, explore our selection of author readings, ready to use in the classroom or enjoy at home. You’ll also find reading recommendations to help spark even more storytelling ideas here.