Nature is full of poetry—sometimes quiet and gentle, sometimes wild and loud—the crunch of leaves under your shoes, the glitter of sunlight on snow, the smell of rain, the way the sky changes colors at sunset. For our next writing contest, we’re inviting young writers to write a poem inspired by nature. Your poem can be about anything you find outdoors: plants, animals, weather, seasons, landscapes, or even a single small moment you notice on a walk.

There are no rules about structure. Your poem can rhyme or not rhyme, be long or short, serious or playful. The only goal is to use words to capture something about nature that feels interesting, beautiful, surprising, or meaningful to you. Write creatively and descriptively—voice and word choice matter most this time.

Entries due: 11:59 PM on FRIDAY, February 20, 2026

Word Limit: 200 words

GET RULES AGREEMENT FORM HERE

PRIZES:

First, second, and third place winners in each age group will be printed in The Homeschooler Magazine. Other entries may be but are not guaranteed to be published.

Prizes are as follows:

RULES:

Submission of entry into this contest constitutes acceptance of all rules and conditions.

• Entrants must be residents of Utah and must be must be between the ages of 5–17 as of Sept. 1, 2025 (Turning 18 during the school year is OK). Entrants must be participating in homeschool during the 2025-2026 school year.
• Only one writing contest entry is allowed per student per contest. Students MAY submit student spotlights, book reviews, big wins, AND one entry in the writing contest.
• No vulgarity, profanity, gratuitous violence, or “adult themes” are allowed. Entries must be “family friendly” and suitable for reading by children and adults of all ages.
• AI is strictly prohibited and may NOT be used in any form at any stage of writing. You may NOT use ChatGPT, Grammarly, or any other AI to brainstorm essay ideas, generate an outline, write any text, or improve text you have written. All words should be the student’s own. Spell check is OK.
• Entries must be the student’s own original work and must not copy from books, movies, or online content. Entries that contain plagiarism will be disqualified.
• All entries must be in English.
• All entries must be typed and submitted digitally. No hard-copy entries or pictures of hand-written entries will be accepted.
• Copyright remains with the author, but The Utah Homeschooler has the right to publish it in the magazine, post it on their website, or use it for promotional materials.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

• Student’s first and last name, age, and mailing address. (Only first name and last initial will be published.)
• Student’s typed writing contest entry; can be included in the body of the email, attached as a word document or PDF, or shared as a Google Doc file. If formatting matters (i.e. for some poetry), attach it as a PDF to preserve the formatting.
• Entry title
• A photo of the student that shows their face
• A signed Rules Agreement & Publication Release waiver (click here to get it). Please note that a new signed agreement is required for each contest.

Entries must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM on Friday, November 21, 2025. Send entries to:

contest@TheUtahHomeschooler.com

JUDGING:

Entries will be divided into three age groups for judging: 5–8 year olds, 9–12 year olds, and 13–18 year olds. Poems will be judged using age-appropriate expectations based on the following criteria:

GUIDELINES FOR PARENT INVOLVEMENT:

Each writing contest in The Utah Homeschooler is intended to help students practice a specific writing skill. For this issue, the focus is on creative expression through poetry inspired by nature. Parents are encouraged to support their students as they observe the natural world, explore ideas, and find words to express what they notice and feel.

1. Exploring Poetry & Nature
   Parents may introduce their children to poetry by reading poems together, especially poems inspired by nature. Families may discuss what makes a poem interesting, such as imagery, word choice, rhythm, emotion, or sensory details. Parents may also encourage students to spend time outdoors noticing sights, sounds, textures, smells, and colors that could inspire a poem.
2. Idea Development
   Parents may help students brainstorm ideas by asking open-ended questions such as, “What did you notice?” or “How did that moment make you feel?” Parents may suggest taking a nature walk, observing from a window, or thinking about a favorite outdoor memory. However, the poem’s ideas, images, and words should come from the student.
3. Writing
   Students should write the poem themselves. Parents are encouraged to transcribe for younger children who have ideas beyond what their hands can comfortably write. Parents may discuss word choices or read the poem aloud with their child, but should avoid rewriting lines or directing the poem’s content.
4. Proofreading
   Parents may assist with basic spelling, capitalization, and punctuation after the poem is written. Poetry often allows for creative choices with formatting and punctuation, so corrections should be minimal. A student’s voice, creativity, and expression are far more important than technical perfection.