For almost two decades, Google has hosted its annual "Doodle 4 Google" contest. It's the longest running contest by the tech giant featuring Google's doodle, a piece of art that uses the letters "G-O-O-G-L-E." Typically a team at Google designs the images. Once a year, they open up the opportunity to young Doodlers.

Screenshot: Some of Doodle for Google winners 2015-2021

The Google for Doodle U.S. event is open to homeschoolers and students in grades K-12. There will be state and national winners. Prizes range from scholarship money to Google swag, Google hardware, and of course a display of the winner's artwork for 24 hours on Google's home page.

The 2024 theme is "My wish for the next 25 years..." Doodlers can use a wide range of art mediums including stop motion, painting in a new dimension (like VR), building a 3D model, clay, crayons, songs, or poems (to name a few).

Below are past US National winners, the winning themes, and their prizes.

Below are some Google Doodle Facts

• August 30, 1998 the first Doodle (an out-of-office message) appeared, before Google was officially incorporated

• October 31, 2000 Google revealed the first animated Doodle for Halloween

• In 2009, the first same-day Doodle was created when water was found on the moon

• May 21, 2010 celebrates 30 years or Pac-Man with the first interactive game Doodle

• Doodle for Google student contest winners have become professional artists

• Some Doodles take years and some Doodles take hours

• The Google team has designed over 5,000 Doodles over the decades

• Google has referenced 2005¹ and 2008² as the start years of Doodle for Google

  
  
  
  

For more kid-friendly competitions we think all Boston moms should know about, check out our list here.