We will be celebrating National Storytelling Week from Monday 2 February to Friday 6 February with free activities running across all 12 Family Hubs.
A joyful 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.
National Storytelling Week 2026 is a celebration of oral storytelling, reading and writing for pleasure. At a time when young people’s writing and reading enjoyment levels are at their lowest, National Storytelling Week has never been more important.
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 from the National Literacy Trust 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.
Throughout the week, we will explore the magic of storytelling through sound, lyrics and rhythm. Who’s ready to pick up the mic?
Take a look at our schedule for National Storytelling week 2026:
All Saints, Riverside, Marine Park
Bede, Biddick Hall & Whiteleas, Boldon
Horsley Hill, Ridgeway, Whitburn & Marsden
Some groups require a booking. Bookings can be made by calling our Family Hubs. Find your nearest Family Hub here.
*Booking Required
**To book a Baby Well Clinic appointment please ring 0191 283 2677
