Writing Competition
for Kids
2026

The Kids World Travel Guide Writing Competition 2026 Is Now Open!

We are thrilled to announce the theme for the 11th edition of our annual young writers' competition:

"Wonders of My World"

This year again we invite young writers and passionate travellers aged 8 to 15 to delve deep into the personal stories behind their favourite landmarks, monuments and world heritage sites — and share them with the world.

Landmarks, landmarks, landmarks!

Write a personal story about a family visit to a special landmark, tell a friend about a unique place in a letter, create a short travel script or mystery story, write a reflective essay or an informative piece about a natural or man-made landmark in a before-and-after setting, the choice is entirely yours! All we need is a passionate, motivated and inspiring story told in your own unique voice.

Be creative, be bold and above all, keep it positive!

A few important notes for this year's competition:

Somewhere in your essay, include at least a few lines about yourself, your community or your personal dreams for the future of our world

Every entry must include a short author's note explaining why you chose your specific landmark. This is mandatory for all entries in 2026!

Your story must be written and submitted in English, but may include words or phrases in another language. You might have noticed already, that we love this!

Junior Category: 8 - 11 years

Word count: minimum 300 words, maximum 500 words

Essays composed using AI writing tools will not be accepted. The use of AI composition tools will result in immediate disqualification. Your story must be your own - and we know it will be wonderful just because of it!

Your essay might include the following topics:

My Wonder of the World: Choose any landmark, monument or world heritage site, whether famous or forgotten, visited or dreamed of. Tell us why it is your personal wonder of the world. Make us see it, feel it, and want to go.
My Favourite Place on the Map: Tell us about a landmark, monument or special place that you have visited or dream of going one day
A Place From My Family's Story: If your family has a special place that means something to your parents, grandparents or ancestors, we would love to read your unique story and learn why this place matters to you.
If These Walls Could Talk: Choose your landmark or ancient site. Imagine this site could speak and share with us the stories it would tell. What has this landmark seen across hundreds of years of history?

Senior Category: 12 - 15 years

Word count: minimum 500 words, maximum 700 words

Your essay might include the following topics:

The Landmark That Changed History: Choose one monument or heritage site or landmark that has played a defining role in our world's history. Let us feel part of that historic moment watching as history unfolds.
Forgotten Wonder: Research a lesser-known landmark, ancient site or often overlooked monument and share with us why the world should pay much more attention to this special site.
World Heritage Worth Protecting: Choose a world heritage site that is under threat from human action whether affected by climate change, war, neglect or overtourism. Tell the landmark's unique story and inspire your reader to care about its survival.
The Place That Shaped Who I Am: Write about a landmark or place that is connected to your family's history or cultural heritage or personal experience. How has knowing about this place influenced the person you are becoming?
Inspire Me to Go: Choose a landmark and write a powerful, inspiring and very personal piece that makes us desperate to visit. Remember, no facts without making us feel, hear, smell the site! Your unique details must make us want to book a ticket to visit.

Spread the Word!

Please share the news about our Wonders of My World writing competition with your colleagues and friends, young writers and young travellers. Looking forward to receiving all the wonderful essays from your students and children!

Competition 2026
Poster

Download our Competition Poster below to share with your school, homeschool group or community.

Where to Begin?
Inspiration for Your Essay

Here are some questions to spark your imagination and help you find your unique angle on your topic:

Have you ever visited a landmark or special place that felt magical? What did it look like, what did it feel or sound like, or could you even smell when u arrived at this unique place? Close your eyes and take yourself back. And then write down exactly as you remember that special moment.
Does your family have a special connection to a particular place, monument or historical site? Ask your parents or grandparents, community leaders or special friends about places that are meaningful to your family history or cultural heritage. Their stories might surprise you.
Which landmark or world heritage site would you most love to visit and why? What have you read, seen or heard about it that made you stop and think: I have to go there one day?
Is there a lesser-known or overlooked landmark in your own country or region that deserves more attention? Research it, uncover its hidden stories and make the case for why the world should know about it.
What does a landmark or ancient site tell us about the people who built it? What were they trying to say to the world, and what does their message mean to us today?
Is your chosen landmark under threat from climate change, neglect, over-tourism or conflict? How does that make you feel, and what do you think should be done to protect it for future generations?
Have you read a book, watched a documentary or heard a family story about a place in the world that stayed with you? Tell us about it and share with us what it taught you and why it inspired you?
Which quote or proverb about travel, history or the world inspires you most? Research its author and tell us what the words mean to you personally and why you connect them to your chosen landmark.
And for our senior cohort, we also have a bonus challenge for those of you who love to dig deeper! Research the origin of one of the "Unknown" quotes and see if you can trace it to its source.

Quotes to Inspire You!

"A landmark is not just a place. It is a chapter in the story of humanity."

"A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots."

"In every walk with nature, one receives far more than one seeks."

"To know a place is to know its history, and to know its history is to know its soul."

Quote 1: "A landmark is not just a place — it is a chapter in the story of humanity." (Unknown)

Quote 2: "A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots." (Marcus Gavey, Jamaican Pan-African activist)

Quote 3: "In every walk with nature, one receives far more than one seeks." (John Muir, Scottish-American naturalist and father of the national parks movement)

Quote 4: "To know a place is to know its history, and to know its history is to know its soul." (Unknown)

Now it’s your turn! Be a writer, journalist, poet or artist, tell us what this place means to you and share your personal and truly unique story!

A few important reminders before you begin:

Important info about this writing competition

Entry Form

If you are writing with a partner or as a group, please let us know in the comments box at the bottom of the entry form and don't forget to name your partner or group.

Every entry must include a special author's note explaining why you chose your particular landmark, monument, statue or natural or man-made place. This is a must!

And finally, somewhere in your essay, tell us what this place means to you personally. What does it say about your culture, your family, your dreams or your view of the world?

Now go and enjoy every moment of planning and writing your wonderful essay. We cannot wait to read it!

And remember: Entries close strictly on

1 October 2026 (10:00 pm/ 22:00 UTC)

Entry Fee

Free. There is no entry fee! The competition is open to all students aged 8 to 15 years from anywhere in the world.

Please note that only online entries submitted via the official entry form will be accepted.

Prizes

Junior: (8-11 years)

Winner: USD50

Runner-up: USD25

Senior: (12-15 years)

Winner: USD50

Runner-up: USD25

All writing competition prizes will be Amazon vouchers for books or travel-related items of your choice.

Participation Certificates

Participation certificates are available upon request, simply tick the "Certificate Request" box on the entry form. Please note that certificates will only be issued for valid entries, as outlined in Point 4 of the Terms and Conditions below.

For schools requesting certificates for multiple students: please have your liaison teacher submit a list of participants' names as described in the entry guidelines.

Publication of Extraordinary Essays

The best essays in each age category will be published on Kids-World-Travel-Guide.com, where they will be seen by thousands of readers from around the world!

Having your essay published is a wonderful achievement and also brilliant publicity for your school. So tell your teacher or headmaster about this exciting and completely free opportunity to showcase your students' writing to a global audience.

Good luck and enjoy the journey!

Writing Competition Terms and Conditions

1. The 'Wonders of My World' competition is open to pupils in schools worldwide as well as to homeschooling students. Learners taking part in the competition must fall into one of the two categories, ages 8 - 11 years and 12 -15 years. Parents and teachers may submit the children's essays online and may contact us with further queries via our contact form. Pupils may also apply but must be in possession of parental consent.

2. All information detailing how to enter the competition forms part of these terms and conditions. It is a condition of entry that all rules are accepted as final and that the competitor agrees to abide by these rules. Submission of an entry will be taken to mean acceptance of these terms and conditions. Any special considerations are at the full discretion of the site's editor. Please also ensure to be familiar with our privacy policy.

Read our Privacy Policy here.

3. To participate in this competition, entrants must write an essay on the topics as described above in approximately 300-500 words for juniors and 500-700 words for seniors, see further details above. Entries must be the work of the individual submitting them and must not have been published elsewhere or have won a prize in any other competition. It is the responsibility of each entrant to ensure that no element of their entry infringes the copyright of any third party or any laws. Entries will be judged on originality, creativity and how engaging and inspiring they are.

4. Entries should be submitted via the online entry form and must include the entrant’s (preferably the participant's school as well) full address and an email contact. Alternatively, entries may be sent to info @ kids-world-travel-guide.com. Please note that email attachments will not be accepted!

5. Entries must be received by 1 October 2026 (22:00 UTC) to be considered for the competition and possible publication on Kids World Travel Guide.

6. The judging panel will be the editor and team of Kids-World-Travel-Guide.com. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

7. Copyright in all submissions to the competition remains with the respective entrants. However, each entrant grants a worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual licence to KidsWorldTravels to feature any or all of the submissions in any of its publications, its websites and/or in any promotional material connected to this competition.

8. Illegible, incomplete or defaced entries will not be accepted. No responsibility can be accepted for lost entries and proof of sending will not be accepted as proof of receipt.

9. At least two entries from the 2026 competition, one for each category, will be chosen for participation in a special blog article which will be published on the website on 1 November 2026.

10. Winners of the 2026 annual competition will receive prizes as described above. Prizes must be claimed within 60 days of the winner and runner-up being notified. Notification of winners will take place by 1 November 2026. No correspondence or negotiation will be entered into after this period.

11. The prizes in this writing competition as described are available on the date of publication and are subject to availability. Kids-World-Travel-Guide.com is responsible for the publication, adjudication of this competition and the provision of the prizes.

12. Should events occur that render the competition or the awarding of prizes impossible due to reasons beyond the organiser's control, the organiser reserves the right at its absolute discretion to vary or amend the competition. By entering, the entrant agrees that no liability shall attach to the organiser as a result thereof.

Previous Competitions

At a glance: Here our competition statistics from the last writing competitions:

and here from the 2024 competition:

Image credits on writing competition page: Shutterstock.com, Canva and own images

Back from Writing Competition to Kids-World-Travel-Guide Homepage

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