Start the new year with a burst of curiosity! Whether you’re easing back into school or refreshing your personal writing routine, this 10-Day “New Year, New Words” Writing Challenge is designed to delight learners of all ages. From haikus to palindromes to Tom Swifties, each day features a bite-sized activity that stretches vocabulary, sparks joy, and brings language play back to life.

Use it as a classroom warm-up, a homeschool journaling prompt, or a daily brain treat for fellow word lovers and teachers alike.

📱 Follow along January 1–10 on Instagram: @dressupyourwriting
Use hashtag #NewYearNewWords to join the challenge!

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✨ The 10-Day Challenge

1. 🌸 Write a Haiku

Stick to the 5-7-5 pattern, but keep it simple. Use seasonal imagery or anything that sparks quiet wonder.

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2. 🗣 Use an Uncommon Verb

Choose a verb you rarely use — quibble, meander, carp, beckon, plod, saunter, dawdle, ponder, blurt — and slip it into a sentence today (spoken or written!).

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3. 🎨 Try an Unexpected Adjective

Challenge yourself to use a fresh, underused adjective. Try: winsome, desultory, nebulous, effervescent, quirky, simpatico, verdant.

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4. 🔁 Palindrome Play

Write a sentence, poem, or phrase that includes a palindrome (racecar, civic, level, madam).
Bonus: try creating your own tiny palindrome!

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5. 🔗 Irreversible Binomials

Think of as many common fixed-order phrases as you can, like salt and pepper, thunder and lightning, peanut butter and jelly. Then invent your own!

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6. 🔊 Onomatopoeia Challenge

Write a sentence or short scene using at least three sound words: snap, fizz, thump, whisper, clang, swoosh, crunch.

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7. 🌟 Portmanteau Mash-Up

Blend two words to create something new (brunch, spork, chillax).
Then define it and use it in a sentence!

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8. 📲 Word Nerd Favorite

Follow @merriamwebster on Instagram (one of our favorite pages).
Then write about your favorite word, post, or fun discovery from their feed.

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9. 😅 Tom Swifty Challenge

Write a sentence of dialogue, then tag it with a punny description of how it was said. The more groan worthy the better!

Examples:

• “The tire is flat,” Tom said deflatedly.
• “We have no bananas,” Tom said fruitlessly.
  
  P.S. If you’re new to Tom Swifties, you’re in for a witty treat. We loved them enough to dedicate a whole post to their delightful puns.

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10. 🌀 Contronym Switch-Up

Write two sentences using the same word in opposite ways.
Try: dust, cleave, left, oversight, weather.

Example:

• She dusted the shelf (removed dust).
• She dusted the cake with sugar (added dust).

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🎊 Closing Thoughts

Writing doesn’t have to feel like a chore. With just a few minutes a day, you can stretch your vocabulary, play with language, and fall back in love with words. Whether you’re joining in as a teacher, student, homeschooler, or fellow word-lover, we hope you’ll share your thoughts!

📸 Tag @dressupyourwriting and use #NewYearNewWords to join the conversation.

Want more tools to support your writing adventures?

✨ Verb Replacer Tool
✨ Adjective Makeover Tool
✨ Grammar Bot (perfect for checking sentences in this challenge!)
✨ Word Spark Generator

Happy writing, and Happy New Year! 🌟