Oxford University Press (OUP) has announced that “vitamin” is its Australian Children’s Word of the Year for 2025.
It was chosen from an analysis of 3.4 million words used by children during the year.
OUP said the choice reflected children writing more about looking after themselves and an increased interest in health and self-care.
This was gleamed from reviewing over 46,700 children’s stories submitted through the online Writing Legends program.
There was a 1133 percent increase in the use of “vitamin” in stories between 2024 and 2025 and this reflected “a clear and consistent preoccupation with health running through children’s writing”.
Other words on the shortlist were exercise, diet, skin, muscle and energy.
Director of Publishing at Oxford University Press Lee Walker said children were not just writing about princesses, horses, dragons and adventures anymore.
“Across thousands of stories, we saw children write about health as something you need to increasingly consider to stay energised and grow strong, rather than as appearance-driven body talk,” she said.
“It’s a sign of how present health and wellness has become in our society.”
Dr Amanda Laugesen, Director of the Australian National Dictionary Centre, Australian National University, said children’s writing often reflected cultural shifts before adults noticed them.
“Adults are constantly talking about needing more energy and wanting to feel better, so it’s no surprise children have picked these up,” she said.
The full report on Oxford’s Australian website Oxford Website.
