Kids Choose "Peace" as 2025 Word of the Year

When almost 5,000 children aged six to 14 chose their most important word for 2025, peace won by a landslide.

Oxford University Press asked kids across the UK to pick the word that mattered most to them this year. Thirty-five percent chose peace, while 33 percent selected AI and 21 percent picked resilience.

The choice reveals something profound about childhood today. One in 10 children mentioned war when explaining their selection, specifically calling out conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

This isn't just a fleeting concern. The Oxford Children's Corpus, a database tracking half a billion words written by and for children, shows mentions of peace in kids' stories have jumped 60 percent since 2015.

AI claimed second place for the second year running, but children's feelings about it remain overwhelmingly positive. When asked how the word made them feel, more than one in 10 used words like "excited" or "exciting." Twenty percent mentioned regularly hearing about and discussing AI in their daily lives.

The research also captured kids' slang preferences. "Six-seven" dominated with 47 percent of votes, followed by "aura" at 24 percent. Researchers found the term fosters connection, with children frequently mentioning friends, fun, and laughter when describing how they use it.

Why This Inspires

Andrea Quincey, director at Oxford University Press, notes how remarkably tuned in children are to world events. They're calling for peace while simultaneously embracing technological change with optimism rather than fear.

Perhaps most touching is their need for joy amid serious concerns. While kids process heavy topics like conflict and rapid technological change, they're also creating their own language that brings laughter and connection with friends.

The research reminds us that children aren't sheltered from world events. They're processing, thinking, and hoping for better outcomes. Their word choices show wisdom beyond their years paired with an enduring capacity for excitement about the future.

Oxford is now calling for more schools to participate in 2026's research to capture even more regional voices and colloquial expressions. Understanding how children use language helps adults support their vocabulary development and self-expression during formative years.

These young voices are asking for peace while staying curious about tomorrow.