Food Friends Drawing Contest for 4-12 year-olds

Array ( [article_id] => 21866 [company_id] => 1 [user_id] => 0 [article_type_id] => 58 [article_seo_url] => foodfriends26 [details] => Array ( [Title] => Food Friends (Feb-April) [Description] => A fun and creative art activity to inspire your students. [Subheading] => [Age] => Ideal For 4-12 [Intro] =>

Food Friends is back! Guaranteed to inspire students, you'll have a blast running this activity in your after-school club or extended day program. It's a fun, inclusive activity that your students will LOVE as they draw and color a fun food character.

Imaginations can run wild as they create a superhero superfood, a sporty snack, or maybe even turn a disliked food into an evil villain! The possibilities are endless!

Drawings will be published in a series of vibrant, full color books, showcasing the work of young artists from across the country. We'll pick our favorite drawing from each book to feature as that book's front cover image, and the artist will win a fabulous creative goody bag. (The more entries we receive, the more books we create, which means more winners, so get your whole club involved!)

There's also an incredible $1,000 gift card to be won by the club with the best set of entries. Think of what you could spend that on to continue providing awesome extended day care for your students!

Entries need to be drawn on the entry form, and you can mail, email or upload scans of entries.

Download the entry form now for an easy and fun art activity!

[Rules] =>

Entries MUST be scanned for upload/email or posted. We cannot accept photos of entries.
Only one entry per child, there is no limit to the number of entries per club. Club leaders please submit your entries all together where possible.
Elementary schools can enter without an after school club.
Ask your children to draw their picture, ensuring their name, age and club name are included. (Entries can be submitted with first names only or initials if needed.)
Your children's entries must be on a Food Friends entry form.
Your children's drawings must be their own work!
Your children can use pencils, pens, felt-tips, crayons, chalks, pastels, etc., to create their picture.
Ideal for 4-12 year-olds
US entrants only
Free to enter
Copyright remains with the artist

[School Prizes] => 🏆 The club that sends the best set of drawings will win an amazing $1,000 gift certificate of their choice!

PLUS clubs receive a complimentary copy of the book that their children's work features in.

[Student Prizes] => Our favorite Food Friends drawing in each book will become the book's title and front cover. The artist will also receive a creative goody bag!

PLUS a strip of stickers for every entrant. Children whose artwork we'd love to publish will also receive a certificate!

(Image for illustration purposes only. Club and children winners will be chosen from entries received in Feb-April 2026.)

[Tips] =>
[YouTube] => [Opens] => 2026-02-20 [Closes] => 2026-04-24 [Extended] => 1 [Orion ID] => 743 [RR Ontraport ID] => [DL Ontraport ID] => 787 [Post Class] => Food Friends [Orion Teacher Year] => Elementary [How to Enter] => We're looking forward to seeing your children's artwork! [Winners Subheading] => We're delighted to announce the winners... [Winners Intro] =>
[Winner Word] => [Hide Writing Portal] => 1 [Schools/Clubs] => Clubs [Thumbnail] => https://bonacia-sites.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/young-writers/ems/competitions/1765978071-3011-USA_FoodFriends_PageIcon.jpg [Background] => https://bonacia-sites.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/young-writers/ems/competitions/1765978071-5238-FoodFriends_BannerBackground.jpg [Logo] => https://bonacia-sites.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/young-writers/ems/competitions/1765978072-124-FoodFriends_Logo.png [Independent Intro] =>

Food Friends is back! Guaranteed to inspire 4-12 year-olds, your child will LOVE drawing and coloring a fun food character.

Imaginations can run wild as they create a superhero superfood, a sporty snack, or maybe even turn a disliked food into an evil villain! The possibilities are endless!

Entries need to be drawn on the entry form (available to download) and you can mail, email or upload scans of their Food Friend when it's done.

Get creative with your child today!

How To Enter

1. Download the entry form and print it out.
2. Your child can get drawing!
3. Email a scan of your child's entry along with their name and full address to: [email protected] or upload here. (Please don't email photos, we need a scan or the original!)

Or post your child's entry along with their name and full address to:
Young Artists Food Friends
77 Walnut Street
Unit 11
Peabody MA 01960

Closing Date: April 24 2026

[Independent Rules] =>

Only one entry per child.
Ask your children to draw their picture, ensuring their name, age and address are included.
Your child's entry must be on a Food Friends entry form.
Your child's drawing must be their own work!
Your child can use pencils, pens, felt-tips, crayons, paints, chalks, pastels, etc. to create their picture.
Open to 4-12 year-olds
US entrants only
Free to enter
Copyright remains with the artist

[Independent Prizes] => Our favorite Food Friends drawing will become the book's title and front cover. The artist will also receive a creative goody bag!

PLUS a strip of stickers for every entrant. Children whose artwork we'd love to publish will also receive a certificate!

(Image for illustration purposes only. Winners will be chosen from entries received in Feb-April 2026. Independent entrants are eligible to win.)

[Meta Title] => Food Friends Creative Art Contest for 4-12 year-olds [Meta Description] => The latest fun and engaging art contest from Young Artists, providing free activities and teaching resources for extended day programs and after school clubs in the USA [Meta Keywords] => how to draw, food friends, drawing contest, extended day program, after school club, after school clubs, breakfast clubs, holiday clubs, art contest, food drawing [Share Title] => Food Friends Drawing Contest for 4-12 year-olds [Share Description] => The latest fun and engaging art contest from Young Artists, providing free activities and teaching resources for extended day programs and after school clubs in the USA [Layout] => main-comp [Icon] => https://bonacia-sites.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/young-writers/ems/competitions/1765978072-6039-USA_FoodFriends_PageIcon.jpg [Category] => 4-12 [Type] => art [Country] => YA-USA [Resource Hub Text] =>
[Letters Sent Date] => 2026-06-08 [Letters Sent Satus] => ⏳ Coming Soon [Books Published Start Date] => 2026-08-31 [Books Published End Date] => 2026-08-31 [Books Published Status] => ⏳ Coming Soon [Winners Announced Date] => 2026-09-30 [Winners Announced Status] => ⏳ Coming Soon [How to Enter Image] => [Video Placeholder] => https://bonacia-sites.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/young-writers/ems/competitions/1765979304-482-FoodFriends_BannerLogo.png [School Prize] => https://bonacia-sites.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/young-writers/ems/competitions/1725013235-6031-giftcertificate.jpeg [Student Prize] => https://bonacia-sites.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/young-writers/ems/competitions/1724841430-6939-20240109_095814.jpg [Banner Background] => https://bonacia-sites.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/young-writers/ems/competitions/1765978072-9630-FoodFriends_BannerBackground.jpg [Banner Logo] => https://bonacia-sites.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/young-writers/ems/competitions/1765978072-8323-FoodFriends_BannerLogo.png [Share Image] => https://bonacia-sites.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/young-writers/ems/competitions/1765978072-9999-USA_FoodFriends_PageIcon.jpg ) [date_created] => 2026-02-16 12:37:26 [last_updated] => 2026-04-16 14:17:14 [sort_order] => 0 [incoming] => 0 [live] => 1 [archived] => 0 [deleted] => 0 )

This contest is now closed.

If you have late entries, please email us at [email protected] and we'll do our best to accommodate them.

Open contests can be found here.

What happens now?

Our editorial team will read every single entry. Any child whose work they'd love to publish in a book will be sent a letter and certificate. Children whose work hasn't met the contest criteria will have the chance to resubmit their work. Winners will be chosen from published pieces once all the books in the series have been published.

Contest Timeline

Stage	Date	Status
Letters Sent	By 8^th June 2026	⏳ Coming Soon
Books Published	31^st August 2026 - 31^st August 2026	⏳ Coming Soon
Winners Announced	30^th September 2026	⏳ Coming Soon

Please note we aim to keep these dates as accurate as possible but can be subject to change.

For more detailed information about your school's entries, please log in (or create) your teacher account here using the email you included on your teacher entry form.