Doodle 4 Google: From the 2006 My Britain Contest to Today

Doodle 4 Google is Google’s art contest for school students, where the winning drawing appears as a Google doodle on the Google homepage. It began in the UK in 2006 as “Doodle 4 Google – My Britain”. This article covers that first competition and how the contest, now often called Doodle for Google, works today.

Quick answer: Doodle 4 Google invites students to design a Google logo around a theme, and the winning doodle is shown on the Google homepage. The first nationwide contest ran for UK schools in 2006 with the theme “My Britain”. Today the best-known edition is the US Doodle for Google contest for students from kindergarten to grade 12, and versions have also run in countries such as India and Canada.

Doodle 4 Google – My Britain (2006)

“Doodle 4 Google – My Britain” was a nationwide design competition open to the UK’s school children aged 4 to 18. Young people were invited to design a Google doodle showing what it means to be British today. It was the first nationwide Doodle 4 Google competition, open to every school in the UK.

Here is how it worked:

• Students entered through their school, with a limit of six entries per school.
• Teachers got a School Pack with everything needed to enter, including lesson plans.
• Expert judges shortlisted thirty doodles, and the British public voted for their favourite design in each age group.
• Google doodler Dennis Hwang then chose one national winner, who would be flown to the Googleplex in California to help design a doodle.
• The winning doodle would appear on the Google UK homepage for a day, seen by around 18 million people.

What are Google doodles?

Google doodles are the special versions of the Google logo you see on the Google homepage to celebrate holidays, anniversaries and famous people. Read more about Google doodles by Dennis Hwang, the designer behind many early doodles. You can browse past doodles on the official Google Doodles site. Google even shows a special doodle on your birthday.

Doodle 4 Google today

After the UK started it, Google took the contest to other countries. India held its first Doodle 4 Google in 2009 with the theme “My India”, and Canada held its first in 2014. The best-known edition today is the US Doodle for Google contest:

• Who can enter: students in US schools from kindergarten through grade 12. A parent or educator submits the doodle.
• The theme: each year has a new prompt. Recent ones include “I care for myself by…” (2022), “I am grateful for…” (2023) and “My Wish for the Next 25 Years” (2024).
• The prize: the national winner’s doodle appears on the Google homepage, and recent contests have included a college scholarship and a technology grant for the winner’s school. Prize details change from year to year.

Dates, rules and prizes are announced each contest season, so always check the official rules before entering.

Tips for a great Doodle 4 Google entry

1. Answer the theme. The doodle should clearly respond to that year’s prompt.
2. Make the letters part of the art. A Google doodle turns the Google logo itself into the artwork, so build your idea around the letters.
3. Write a clear artist statement. Explain the idea behind your doodle in simple words.
4. Use any medium. Crayons, paint, clay, collage or digital art can all work.
5. Start early. Leave time for a few drafts and for a parent or teacher to submit it.

Like Google doodles? Try these Google Easter eggs that still work.

FAQ

What is Doodle 4 Google?

It is Google’s student art contest. Students design a Google logo around a theme, and the winning doodle appears on the Google homepage.

When did Doodle 4 Google start?

The first nationwide contest was “Doodle 4 Google – My Britain” for UK schools in 2006.

Who can enter Doodle for Google in the US?

Students from kindergarten through grade 12 in US schools. A parent or educator submits the entry.

Has Doodle 4 Google been held in India?

Yes. India held its first Doodle 4 Google contest in 2009 with the theme “My India”, followed by later editions. Check Google’s announcements for any current contest.