- The Doodle for Google contest runs from January to March.
- Fill out the contest form on doodle4google.com, and include an original Doodle that reflects the year’s theme, an artist’s statement, and parental consent.
- One national winner will have their Doodle featured on Google’s homepage for a day. They’ll also be awarded money for school, Google swag, and Google merchandise.
How to Participate in the Doodle for Google Competition
Go to the Doodle for Google website during the contest period. The Doodle for Google competition runs from January to March every year (the exact dates may change). During this time, you can access the submission form at doodle4google.com. Outside of this submission window, you can’t submit an entry or access the submission form. There are national Doodle for Google competitions in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and in countries throughout Asia and Latin America.
Download and fill out the form. The form will ask you to include a Doodle you’ve made that reflects that year’s theme and incorporates the Google logo and write a 50-word artist’s statement. It will also ask for your parent’s or guardian’s consent. Your Doodle may be drawn directly on the form; drawn on another piece of paper; or created on the computer. Just make sure it’s attached to the form when you submit it. Entry forms may be submitted by parents, guardians, teachers, nonprofit leaders, and afterschool program guides on entrants’ behalves.
Print the form and have a parent sign it. After completing the form, print it out on a light colored 8.5"X11" sheet of paper and have a parent or guardian sign it.
Submit the form digitally or by mail. The completed and signed form can be rescanned and submitted via Google’s online submission form at doodles.google.com or sent via post. If you’ve created your Doodle on the computer, you can upload it to Google’s online submission form, or print it out and mail it. To mail your submission form via post, send it to: Doodle for Google, Google LLC, 1 Market Street, Spear Tower Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94105
Tips for Creating Your Doodle
Brainstorm ideas before committing to one. You might not have an idea immediately—that’s OK! Take time to brainstorm and sketch different ideas before landing on one. To get the gears moving, ask yourself what the contest’s theme makes you think about in your own life. For example, 2023’s theme was “I am grateful for….” To respond to this theme, you might think about what you’re thankful for in your own life: art, friendship, animals—the list is endless! Try freewriting to get your thoughts on paper. Write down what images, ideas, thoughts, feelings, colors, and art materials you think best convey the theme.
Get creative with the Google logo! Every entry must incorporate the famous Google logo—but that doesn’t mean you can’t think outside of the box. Successful Google Doodles incorporate the logo in unique, unexpected, subtle, or abstract ways. For instance, the winner of India’s 2018 Doodle for Google contest, Pingla Rahul More, responded to the theme, “What inspires me?” by turning the Google letters into planets, rocket ships, and nebulas. If the theme were, “When I grow up, I want to be…” and you want to be a teacher, consider what items you might find in a classroom and how you could incorporate them into Google letters. An apple might be an O, for example, while a lowercase L could be a pencil.
Consider using the Google logo as a guide. The Doodle for Google form includes an outline of the Google logo that you can use as inspiration for your own artwork.
How are Doodles for Google judged?
Doodles are judged according to 3 criteria. Each Google Doodle submission is judged on its artistic merit, its creativity, and its communication of the theme. Artistic merit refers to how skillful the drawing is. Creativity refers to how outside-the-box the artist’s idea is: how well did they respond to the theme? Did they incorporate the Google logo into their drawing in an original way? Communication of the theme refers to how well the Doodle reflects that year’s theme as well as how well the artist expresses their intentions in their artist’s statement.
Doodles are grouped and judged by age. Doodle artists’ submissions are judged by their peers as well as by guest judges. Doodle artists are sorted into the following grade groups: Grades K–3 Grades 4–5 Grades 6–7 Grades 8–9 Grades 10–12
There will be 10+ finalists for each group per state. In total, there may be 54 possible finalists chosen from each state or territory, including 10 from each grade group. Only one entrant from each state or territory can move forward as a state/territory winner. These winners’ Doodles will be displayed in a virtual gallery on the Doodle for Google website.
5 national finalists will be chosen. 5 total finalists will be selected by guest judges and the general public. There will be one finalist from each grade group. 2023’s judges included actor Noah Schnapp, author Brian Selznick, Doodle Team Lead Jessica Yu, and 2022 National Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell.
There will be one national grand winner. A panel of Google employees will choose the grand-prize winner. Their Doodle will appear on Google’s homepage.
Doodle for Google Prizes
National winner The national winner gets their Doodle displayed on Google’s homepage for 24 hours. They also get “Google swag” and cash prizes. The “swag” usually consists of a Wacom tablet, a Google Chromebook, and a T-shirt with their Doodle on it. They also receive a $30,000 scholarship to the college of their choice and a $50,000 tech package (usually Chromebooks and tablets) for their high school or chosen nonprofit. If the winner is homeschooled, the homeschool will receive a $5000 technology stipend, and the winner may donate $45,000 in technological improvements to a nonprofit, library, or school that meets Google’s criteria.
National finalists The 5 national finalists will have their Doodles displayed in the Doodle for Google gallery. They will also receive a $5000 college scholarship, a Chromebook, and a trip to Google headquarters.
State/territory winners State and territory winners will have their Doodles featured in the Doodle for Google online gallery. They will also receive a Chromebook.
Eligibility Requirements
Only artists in kindergarten through twelfth grade may submit. The Doodle for Google contest is only eligible for grade school students. A parent or guardian’s consent is required.
Doodles must be the original work of the artist. Each Doodle entered in Doodle for Google must be the creation of the artist submitting it. Doodles must not be copyrighted or plagiarized, and they must not contain logos. This means no fictional characters or work based on your favorite TV shows, video games, or books—but this gives you plenty of opportunity to create your own fun characters!
Doodles must not be derogatory or offensive. Any Doodle that contains threatening, offensive, inappropriate, discriminatory, or libelous content will not be considered.
Doodles must be two-dimensional. While Google Doodles have occasionally taken the form of games, videos, or GIFs, for the competition, you must submit a scannable 2-D design.
Each artist may submit only one Doodle. If you submit more than one Doodle, the judges will only consider your first Doodle. All other Doodles will be disqualified.
Doodles must be submitted with a completed entry form. If you don’t fill out the entire entry form—including getting parental consent—your submission will be disqualified.
Review the official contest rules for more information. The official Doodle for Google rules and regulations may be found at doodles.google.com/d4g/rules.
Past Themes
“I am grateful for…” (2023) Winner: Rebecca Wu, Washington, 6–7 grade level
“I care for myself by…” (2022) Winner: Sophie Araque-Liu, Florida
"I am strong because..." (2021) Winner: Milo Golding, Kentucky, 10–12 grade level
"I show kindness by..." (2020) Winner: Sharon Sara, Texas, 4–5 grade level
"When I grow up, I hope..." (2019) Winner: Arantza Peña Popo, Georgia, 10–12 grade level
"What inspires me" (2018) Winner: Sarah Gomez-Lane, Virginia, K–3 grade level
"What I see for the future" (2017) Winner: Sarah Harrison, Connecticut, 10–12 grade level
"What makes me...me" (2016) Winner: Akilah Johnson, Washington, D.C., 10–12 grade level
"If I could invent one thing to make the world a better place..." (2014) Winner: Audrey Zhang, New York, 4–5 grade level
"My best day ever..." (2013) Winner: Sabrina Brady, Wisconsin, 10–12 grade level
"If I could travel in time, I'd visit..." (2012) Winner: Dylan Hoffman, Wisconsin, K–3 grade level
"What I'd like to do someday..." (2011) Winner: Matteo Lopez, California, K–3 grade level
"If I could do anything, I would..." (2010) Winner: Makenzie Melton, Missouri, K–3 grade level
"What I wish for the world..." (2009) Winner: Cristin Engelberth, Texas, 4–6 grade level
"What if...?" (2008) Winner: Grace (Suryung) Moon, California, 4–6 grade level
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