FLL Judging Explained: What Happens at Your First FLL Tournament
In FLL judging, your team spends about 30 minutes in a small room with a few volunteer judges. The kids present their Innovation Project and their Robot Design, then answer questions, and the judges score everything with the season's official rubrics, watching for Core Values the whole time. There are no trick questions. Judges simply want to hear the team explain, in their own words, what they did, how they did it and what they learned.
If this is your child's first FIRST LEGO League tournament, judging is often the part that worries families most, because it happens behind a closed door. Here is what actually goes on in that room, and how you can help your child walk in calm.
What is FLL judging?
An FLL Challenge tournament has two halves. One is the Robot Game, the loud part on the competition tables that everyone can watch. The other is judging, a private interview where the team shows the thinking behind their work. Many of the biggest awards, including the Champion's Award, depend on judging as well as robot performance.
Judges look at three areas:
Innovation Project: the problem the team picked from the season theme, the research they did, their solution, and who they shared it with.
Robot Design: how the team planned, built, coded and tested their robot, and how they improved it over time.
Core Values: discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork and fun. These aren't judged in a separate box. Judges notice them throughout the session. (We wrote a full guide to FLL Core Values.)
What happens in the judging room, step by step
Exact timing varies by event, so always read the schedule your tournament organizer sends. A typical session looks like this:
Arrival and setup. A volunteer brings the team to the room a few minutes early. Kids set up their poster, prototype, robot and attachments. Adults usually wait outside or sit quietly at the back, depending on the event.
Innovation Project presentation. The team gives a short prepared presentation, often around five minutes. Skits, posters, slides and models are all fine.
Robot Design explanation. The team walks the judges through their robot, their attachments and their code, often with the robot right on the table.
Questions. Judges ask follow-up questions on both areas. They often direct questions to quieter team members, so every child should be ready to speak.
Wrap-up. The judges thank the team, and the kids pack up. Scoring happens after the team leaves.
The whole thing usually runs about 30 minutes. It goes fast, which is why practicing with a timer matters.
How the rubrics work
Judges don't rank teams by gut feeling. They use official rubrics published by FIRST for each season. Each row describes one skill, such as "identified a clear problem" or "tested and improved the robot," and gives several levels, from beginning to exceeding expectations.
The rubrics reward process, not just results. A team whose robot scores modestly but who can clearly explain how they tested, failed, fixed and tested again can score very well. Download this season's rubrics from FIRST and go through them with your child. It's the best preparation there is. Our BIOGLOW parent's guide explains how the 2026–27 season is set up.
What judges are really listening for
Kids doing the talking. Judges can tell quickly when adults did the work. Short, honest answers in a child's own words beat polished, memorized speeches.
Specific examples. "We tried three attachment designs, and the second one kept slipping, so we added a stopper" says far more than "we worked hard."
Everyone included. Judges notice whether teammates listen to each other and share the floor.
Learning from mistakes. Explaining what went wrong and what you changed is a strength, not a weakness.
Evidence. An engineering notebook, test logs and code printouts help the team remember details under pressure.
How parents can help before tournament day
Hold two or three timed practice sessions at home and play the judge. Ask open questions like "Why did you choose that?" and "What would you change next?"
Make sure every child can explain at least one part of the project and one part of the robot.
Keep offline copies of slides and videos. Judging rooms may not have power or internet.
Pack a checklist: robot, attachments, charged battery, poster, prototype and notebook.
On the day, stay positive and let the kids own it. Your calm is contagious.
For the robot side of the day, our FLL robot game strategy guide covers mission planning, run order and attachments.
Common questions
Can parents or coaches be in the judging room?
It depends on the event. Many tournaments let one or two adults sit quietly at the back, but adults may not help answer. Check your event's rules.
What if my child freezes during questions?
It happens, and judges are kind about it. Teach kids that it's fine to say "Let me think" or to pass to a teammate. Practicing at home makes freezing much less likely.
Does judging matter more than the Robot Game?
Both count. The Champion's Award looks at the team's overall performance, and judged areas make up a big part of it. A strong judging session can lift a team even after a tough robot round.
Build the skills judges look for
Judging rewards kids who can explain their code and their design choices, and those skills come from regular, hands-on practice. Our self-paced SPIKE Prime Python course and the FLL Robotics Journey for Parents are good places to start. Browse the full catalog of online courses, including free ones, try All-Access free for 7 days, or ask about Remote 1-on-1 live lessons by texting (619) 786-5731.
In San Diego? Join our weekend group sessions in Scripps Ranch: 1.5 hours a week, ages 6–18, max 10 kids, with every child working on their own project at their own pace. Your first session is free. Text (619) 786-5731 to book.
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