If you know a kid who lowkey loves hanging out in the woods or obsessing over local bugs, this is their moment to shine. The Guardian’s 'Young Country Diary' series is officially opening up submissions for their autumn edition, and they’re looking for genuine, young voices to document their experiences with nature.
How it works
It’s pretty straightforward, but there are a few house rules. The project is open to any child aged 8–14 living in the UK. They need to head outside—whether that’s a local park, a garden, or the beach—and write a 200–250 word entry about what they see and hear.
Real talk: the editors are looking for actual observations, so they’ve explicitly asked that the writing comes from the kid, not from AI tools like ChatGPT. While you can use tech for research, the final product needs to be their own work. If their piece gets selected for the newspaper or the website, they’ll actually get paid, which is a major W.
Submission tips
If your kid is stuck, the best entries usually lean into the senses. What did they smell? What was the texture of that leaf? Did they see a beetle on a mission or a nervous deer? You don’t need to be a nature expert—it’s more about describing the vibe and how the experience made them feel.
As the parent or guardian, you’ll need to handle the online form yourself and provide your contact info. The deadline for autumn submissions is noon on Monday, 2 November. If they get their entry in before the 15th, they’ve got a better shot at being featured in the October round.
Why it matters
Getting kids to log off and engage with the environment is rare enough these days. This series gives them a platform to treat their local ecosystem with main character energy, turning simple outdoor play into a professional writing credit.
