Ready, set, build! Or code! Minecraft competitions are a wonderful way to explore kids’ favorite game and add a new dimension to their skills.
Plus, from bragging rights to cash prizes, Minecraft competitions offer plenty of incentives for kids to bring their A-game. These events also offer a fresh take on this classic game—the perfect way to change things up and inspire kids to keep learning as they play.
It’s easy to get bored, after all, with the same old thing! And yes, that’s still true with a sandbox game with technically limitless possibilities.
(If you do have kids tired of building, in addition to the competitions below, give Minecraft coding a shot. Or, is the game too easy? Try playing with friends, experiencing a new game mode, or mixing it up with a new, cool challenge!)
2021-2022 Minecraft competitions
These Minecraft challenges cover a variety of skills and purposes for gaming. Creative mode artists will love creating masterpieces in a competitive environment, and the coding-oriented challenges offer engaging opportunities to show off Java skills. Plus, who knows where a competition might lead!
Before jumping in, please bear in mind that any contest should be entered with adult supervision, and parents should check out the specific terms of play before deciding an event is a good fit for their child! Event details are subject to change: check each website for the most up to date information.
iD Tech is not affiliated with any of these events or organizations; listing them here does not serve as an endorsement.
Games for Change Challenge
What: Kids can compete individually or in teams to create Minecraft games with a purpose! The goal of the challenge is to inspire game designers to incorporate civically-minded elements to their creations.
What else: The competitions or “Game Jams” are held virtually, and the theme of each challenge varies. Software includes Minecraft and other games.
Who: Students in grades 5-12
When: Competitions occur on a rolling basis; check the website for the most up to date information!
Prize: First place wins a $10,000 scholarship!
Minecraft Masters NASEF Competition
What: This global competition might as well be the world championship of Minecraft building! Teams from around the world compete in rounds of increasing difficulty to reach one of four top spots.
What else: The event brings together multifaceted Minecraft skills to test competitors’ knowledge of redstone, command blocks, code builder, and game design. (NASEF also offers chess and Rocket League competitions!)
Who: Students in grades 13-18. There is also a Juniors event that is open to kids 12 and younger.
When: Competitions occur seasonally: check the website for the next competition!
Prize: Winners claim the title of Minecraft Grand Master along with other prizes.
Jupiter Artland Competition
What: This themed design competition challenges Minecraft enthusiasts to create elaborate landscapes like the upside down world from Stranger Things.
Who: Kids ages 5 and up.
When: Competitions typically occur in November and April of each year. Check the website for 2022 details!
Prize: Winners can claim a cash prize (plus bragging rights).
Nodecraft Minecraft Competition
What: Nodecraft hosts regular Minecraft building competitions. Entrants are assigned a theme like “summer sandcastle,” “coziest house build,” and other fun creative prompts to inspire great creations.
Who: This competition is open to all ages.
When: Competitions typically occur on a bi-monthly basis: check the website for the next upcoming event!
Prize: Winners can have their masterpieces featured on the Nodecraft website.
CV Con Minecraft Building Competition
What: CV Con build competitions dream big with themes like medieval castles!
Who: This competition is open to all ages.
When: Competitions typically occur in April of each year: check the website for the 2022 event!
Prize: Winners can have their masterpieces featured on the competition website.
Minecraft Education Edition Competition
What: Each year, Minecraft Education Edition hosts a global build challenge. In teams, students compete to create a world that best illustrates the challenge prompt, which will address a real-world problem.
What else: This competition is a wonderful opportunity for teachers to bring Minecraft into the classroom, and perhaps make use of Minecraft Education Edition year-round!
Who: This competition is open to elementary and middle school students.
When: Submissions for 2021 are due by November 19th.
Prize: Winners take home exclusive Minecraft swag.
Digital Rube Goldberg Machine Minecraft Contest
What: This hands-on STEAM competition challenges students to build amazing machines that they designed in Minecraft Education Edition. The competition is meant to encourage out-of-the-box thinking and creativity. For instance, this year's challenge was Minecraft to build a “wacky machine that will Open & Illuminate a Book.”
Who: This competition is open to students in grades 3-12.
When: Stay tuned for 2022 details!
Prize: Winners take home exclusive Minecraft swag.
Planet Minecraft Competitions
What: Everything from pirates to scientific biomes is fair game in this hub of Minecraft build competitions.
Who: These competitions are open to all ages.
When: Monthly build competitions are posted regularly on the Planet Minecraft website.
Prize: Winners are featured on the Leaderboard.
National Education Foundation Minecraft Competition
What: This annual competition uses Minecraft Education Edition to challenge young builders to dream big and create amazing structures.
Who: Students in grades 5-8.
When: The 2022 competition deadline will likely be in mid-May: check the website for up to date information.
Prize: Winners are eligible for cash prizes
Learn with Minecraft
Get building and thinking like a game designer; or get coding and thinking like a programmer—and more with Minecraft! Our Minecraft summer camps, Online Private Lessons, and Small-Group Semesters offer the ideal STEM launchpad for Minecraft enthusiasts of all ages.