This is a contest for tabletop games designed by children. Parents can help, but the ideas and design should be the child’s work. The games must be analogue tabletop games with no video or online components.
About the contestants (that’s you)
Are you aged 7, 16, or anything in between? Are you in the UK? If the answer to both these question is yes, then this contest is open to you. In the future it may be open to children worldwide, but for now it is UK only.
There are three different entry groups, and you should enter the one which is right for your age.
Group 1: you will be 7, 8, 9 or 10 years old on 31 August 2026.
Group 2: you will be 11, 12, or 13 years old on 31 August 2026.
Group 3: you will be 14, 15, or 16 years old on 31 August 2026.
These groupings are based on the school year in England. The school age groupings follow a different pattern in Scotland, and many people across the UK are homeschooled. If your birthday falls close to the edge of one of these groups and you think it would be better to be in a different group, then enter in your preferred group and let us know why on the form.
About the game
This competition is for tabletop analogue games. The game could include a board, cards, dice, tokens, pen and paper, or any other physical pieces. It can’t involve any video game or online element.
The game could be a replayable game, or a single-play puzzle adventure. It could be a role playing game.
The game could be for any number of players, and for any age range.
What we need on 31 August 2026
What you will need to include as part of your submission:
- Name and date of birth
- Permission from a responsible grown up (your parent or guardian)
- Key details such as the name of the game, how long it takes to play, and the number of players
- 1-3 minute video of the game
- Up to 500 words explaining the rules
- Up to 500 words of anything else about the game (optional)
There will be a webpage or post or this blog with more information and guidance about how to submit a game.
First round of judging
We will choose between three and five games from each category to be finalists. Of those finalists, one per group will be the winner. This will happen during the autumn, and the finalists will be informed by 30 November 2026.
Second round of judging
If your game has been chosen to be a finalist, then we will ask you to send us a prototype. That doesn’t need to be expensive — it could simply be handwritten cards. These games will then be judged by a small group of publishers and game reviewers.
One winner per age category will be chosen, and the winners will be announced during April 2027. All finalists and the three winners will receive a certificate and a pin badge.
While there is no guarantee that any of these games will be picked up by any of the publishers, it is possible. If a publisher wants to publish your game then we will do our best to support you in the publishing process and give you good advice.
Kid’s Tabletop Game Design Challenge 