Kids, get your imaginations cranking! Microsoft just announced its Kodu Cup 2011 game contest and is now accepting submissions. US children between the ages of 9 and 17 are invited to create a game using Microsoft's free kid-friendly game design tool, Kodu Game Lab for PC, which launched an Xbox 360 version on Xbox Live in 2009.

There are two age categories - 9 to 12 and 13 to 17. Each group will have a grand prize winner and there will be first- and second- place runners up. Grand prize winners, along with their respective schools, will receive a monetary gift of $5,000, along with a trip to the Imagine Cup 2011 Worldwide Finals in New York. The contest runs through May 10, 2011, with winners being announced later that month. The competition is open to legal residents of the United States and District of Columbia, aged 9 to 17 only. Children under 13 must have a parent's permission to participate.

Qualified judges will select the three best games from each of the age categories, at which point those games will be judged equally on the following criteria:

• Innovation -- how creative and technically unique is the game?
  
  
• Fun Factor -- how intense, exciting and entertaining are the attributes of the game?
  
  
• Production Quality -- how complete is the game, including polish of design, functionality and thematic execution?
  
  
• Presentation -- how clear and precise are the Game Summary and Game Play instructions?

The finalist in each age group with the highest score in each category will be named the Grand Prize Winner. (If there is a tie, the game with the highest score in the Innovation category will be named the winner of the Grand Prize.) The remaining finalists will be named winners of the First Prize and Second Prize.

All contestants must use Microsoft's new Kodu Game Lab for PC to create their games. Kodu is a visual programming language designed specifically for children due to its ease of use. For example, Microsoft says that students without any computer programming experience should be able to "create rich 3D learning games" using only a keyboard and a mouse. Part of the ease of the language is its lack of coding required; instead, the language is entirely pinned to icon-based, drag-and-drop sequences. These intuitive icons are incorporated to control the characters and objects with character behaviors expressed in physical terms. It is Kodu's mission to teach students - all students, not just those with an affinity or advanced knowledge of computer programming -- how to program characters and objects, build 3D worlds, learn rapid-game development with easy-to-use interface and language and provide a rich range of code and game play examples.

In making the announcement, Microsoft and Xbox said the contest marks the "full release" of the PC version of Kodu Game Lab, developed by Microsoft Research (previous builds of the PC version having been available for some time). Microsoft hopes the contest will encourage children to gain more interest in science, technology, engineering and math, the areas in which President Obama recently admitted the US needs more expertise. In fact, in November, 2009, President Obama launched the "Educate to Innovate" program and introduced STEM, a campaign for Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. In making this announcement, President Obama said his goal was to move "American students from the middle to the top of the pack in science and math achievement over the next decade." President Obama also said, "Reaffirming and strengthening America's role as the world's engine of scientific discovery and technological innovation is essential to meeting the challenges of this century. That's why I am committed to making the improvement of STEM education over the next decade a national priority."

Microsoft created Kodu specifically in response to President Obama's STEM initiative and to do its part to ignite children's interest in future careers in science, technology, engineering and math. In addition, Microsoft proudly admits that Kodu also stimulates critical thinking skills and creativity due to its ability to help children develop problem solving and logic skills. Kodu is also part of Microsoft's Unlimited Potential efforts to "solve societal challenges and improve social and economic opportunities."

Interested young game designers should go to the Kodu Contest site for additional information and specifics on how to register and submit their creations.

So, young readers, will you create a game for the Kodu Cup 2011? Parents, will you encourage your children to do so? Leave your comments below.