9 Delightful National Days to Spark Writing This September
Looking for fresh, fun ways to keep your writers engaged this fall? These offbeat National Days are perfect for launching playful prompts, creative challenges, and memory-making moments. Each one includes a themed writing idea, a favorite book pick, and a simple family fun activity.
🍝 September 1 – No Rhyme (Nor Reason) National Day
Write your own silly cumulative story! Start with one funny character or animal, then add a new, even sillier detail in each sentence until it gets totally ridiculous. (Think: “I saw a wobbly, bobbly, snuffly, puffly, three-legged chicken wearing roller skates…”)
📖 Read: The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith for rollicking rhymes, goofy wordplay, and plenty of giggles. Perfect for leaning into the absurd on No Rhyme (Nor Reason) Day!
🎉 Family Fun: Play a “pass-the-story” game where each person adds a new, over-the-top description to an animal or object until everyone is laughing too hard to continue.
🐾 September 4 – Wildlife Day
Tell a story from the point of view of a wild animal. Are you a hawk soaring above the trees, a raccoon sneaking through a backyard, or a giraffe on safari? What do you see, hear, and feel?
📖 Read: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. It’s told from a gorilla’s perspective and invites beautiful empathy-driven writing.
🎉 Family Fun: Head outside for a backyard “wildlife watch”—binoculars optional! Pretend you’re flying over the savannah… Do you see lions below? A giraffe munching leaves? Make it a full-on safari adventure as you spot birds, bugs, or imaginary beasts.
📚 September 6 – Read a Book Day
Choose a favorite book character and imagine what they might be doing today. Are they off on a new adventure, doing something silly, or trying something they’ve never done before?
📖 Read: A beloved classic Little Golden Book like The Poky Little Puppy or The Little Engine That Could. These timeless tales have been part of countless childhoods — maybe even yours! Celebrate Read a Book Day by revisiting a story that’s been loved for generations.
🎉 Family Fun: Host a “Read-in.” Everyone in the family picks a favorite childhood book, snuggles up with blankets and snacks, and reads aloud to each other.
🎮 September 12 – Video Game Day
Design your own video game world! Describe the setting, the main character (or hero), and the challenges they’ll face. What special powers or items will help them win? Bonus: Sketch your game’s “cover art.
📖 Read: Press Start! by Thomas Flintham — Join Super Rabbit Boy in pixelated, fast-paced adventures perfect for young gamers and reluctant readers alike.
🎉 Family Fun: Turn your living room into a “real-life” video game level. Use pillows, chairs, or cardboard boxes as obstacles, and take turns being the player while someone else narrates the action.
🐊 September 13 – Roald Dahl Day
Write a story filled with wonder, wit, and just a dash of the unexpected (think clever kids, talking animals, or a magical object that changes everything!)
📖 Read: James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, Fantastic Mr. Fox, or The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me. These stories showcase brave kids, unexpected friendships, and magical adventures.
🎉 Family Fun: Host a “Dahl Dinner” with themed food like peach smoothies, clever “fox snacks,” or a special dessert inspired by Matilda’s chocolate cake. Bonus: act out your favorite scene together!
🏴☠️ September 19 – Talk Like a Pirate Day
Write a short pirate’s log (like a diary) for one day at sea. Include what you saw, who you met, and any treasure you found — but be sure to use your best pirate vocabulary!
📖 Read: 100 Questions About Pirates by Simon Abbott — a colorful, fact-filled romp through all things pirate, from ships to treasure to the pirate code.
🎉 Family Fun: Play a round of “Pirate Trivia” using questions from the book. Award gold coin chocolates or small prizes for each correct answer. Bonus points for answering in your best pirate accent!
🗺️ September 22 – States and Capitals Day
Postcard Prompt: Write a postcard from a state you’ve never visited. Describe what you imagine seeing, doing, eating, and learning there. Don’t forget to include a fun “Wish you were here!”
📖 Read: The Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller. It’s funny, creative, and sneaks in geography without even trying.
🎉 Family Fun: Pick a state, learn its capital, and try a food it’s known for… like clam chowder from Massachusetts or chili from Texas. Make it a 50-state taste test challenge!
Psst… looking for more geography-inspired writing fun? Check out this post for prompts, games, and printable ideas!
✍️ September 24 – National Punctuation Day
Write a story using only exclamation points or invent a brand-new punctuation mark and explain what it means.
📖 Read: Exclamation Mark by Amy Krouse Rosenthal is a witty, charming story that turns punctuation into a character kids can relate to. Follow Exclamation Mark as he learns to embrace his uniqueness, all while giving a fun introduction to how punctuation marks can change a sentence’s tone.
🎉 Family Fun: Read sentences aloud using different punctuation at the end (period, exclamation point, question mark) and see how the tone changes. Try making the same sentence sound excited, confused, or serious!
Plus… 👉 Take a peek at 5 Punctuation Marks You’ve Probably Never Heard Of. Periods and commas get all the attention, but what about the interrobang or asterism?
🥞 September 26 – Pancake Day
Write a fun scene where pancake-making turns into total chaos!
📖 Read: Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast by Josh Funk — A rhyming, action-packed race through the fridge filled with playful vocabulary and deliciously silly scenes.
🎉 Family Fun: Host a pancake taste test! Make different creations from a variety of toppings — berries, peanut butter, chocolate chips, bananas, syrups — and vote for your favorite!
💬 Want more ideas like this each month?
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