We've answered frequently asked questions about the NYMetroParents Kids' Cover Contest. Find out how to enter your child, information on how the winners are chosen, voting policies, cover contest prizes, as well as details on the cover contest photo shoot.
It’s easy! Simply go to our link at nymetroparents.com/covercontest and upload a recent picture of your child following the simple directions onscreen. Your photos must be submitted in electronic formats .jpg, .png, .bmp, or .gif and must be less than 20 MB to be eligible.
Can I enter more than one picture of my child?
You can enter only one photo of each of your children.
What if I want to enter more than one child in the contest?
To enter multiple children, enter them one at a time. To do so, enter one, wait a day, and then enter the next one. Our rules prevent someone from entering the contest twice in one day, but you can enter multiple children by waiting a day between entries.
How do you choose the winners?
Our editors review every entry (yes, we do!) and every member of our team picks their favorites, as our official rules indicate, “based equally upon the criteria of personality, charm, and marketability as a child cover model, as conveyed by their photo.” What does that mean? Well, it’s a visceral feeling—kind of, “We know it when we see it”: joy, bright smiles, playfulness or silliness or a quiet reserve…we want to see your child’s spirit shining through! We then consult with a professional photographer to decide upon nine Finalists who get professionally photographed, along with one Fan Favorite Finalist, and from the resulting images we select one winner to appear on our covers.
Do I have to garner votes for my child to have a chance?
No, you do not have to solicit votes for your child to have a chance to win, as our editors’ picks for Finalists are not based on votes but on our own discretion. By soliciting votes, however, you do increase your chances of winning the Fan Favorite Finalist spot (which guarantees your child a photo shoot and a chance at being named the Grand Prize Winner)—and, equally important, it makes the contest all the more fun. Our contest is about parental pride in our kids’ spirit and joy, and what better way to spread that joy than to share their pictures with your family and friends…and their friends?
I have used vote-swapping sites in the past to help me win prizes—is that okay?
Simply put: No. Vote request sites and programs for soliciting votes are prohibited from use, and any entrant attempting to garner votes through sites such as these, including but not limited to voterequests.com and getonlinevotes.com, will be disqualified. We know it’s fun to win, and that it’s easy to get caught up in the “race” to see how your child is “competing”—but please, get into the real spirit of our contest, which is one of celebration and fun!
What do I win if my child garners the most votes and wins the Fan Favorite category?
In addition to the Finalist prizes detailed above, the Fan Favorite will also receive a two-night stay, along with two Paw Passes, at Great Wolf Lodge in Scotrun, PA.
What will I win if my child is named a Grand Prize Winner?
We will be naming two Grand Prize Winners: One (ages 6 and younger) will receive a t two-night stay, along with two Paw Passes, at Great Wolf Lodge in Scotrun, PA. The prize for the winner in the older than 6 age group is yet to be announced—but we promise it's exciting! And, of course, both winners will appear on the cover of our magazines: Big Apple Parent, Brooklyn Parent, Long Island Parent, Queens Parent, Rockland Parent, Bergen•Rockland Parent, and Westchester Parent.
If my child does not win, is there still a chance he or she will be featured in your magazines?
We cannot guarantee that, but there is still a chance. We occasionally pull pictures from our fans on Facebook to include in print, though not often. It is more likely that you may see your child’s picture shared on our Facebook pages or website during the contest period. If your child is one of our 10 Finalists, there is a strong chance (again, not guaranteed) that he or she will in fact appear in print even if not named the Grand Prize winner.
Where can I find the rules?
The full official rules to the 2019 NYMetroParents Kids Cover Contest can be found here.
What age children are eligible to be entered into the contest?
Kids ages 2-16 years old may be entered in the 2019 NYMetroParents Kids Cover Contest.
I am having technical difficulties uploading a picture of my child—what should I do?
Send us a message on Facebook, and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can. We’re parents, too, so we’ve got to (occasionally!) check in on our kids, feed and bathe them, you know the deal—so please be patient. If for some reason you don’t hear from us quickly to help resolve your problem, you can also email us at editor@nymetroparents.com during weekday business hours.
When does the contest end?
Entries can be submitted and new votes registered until 11:59pm on Wednesday, June 12, 2019.
When is the photo shoot for the Finalists?
The Finalist photo shoot will be held in late June.
When will winners be notified?
Parents or guardians of the Finalists will be notified on or before June 19, 2019 by email. A Grand Prize Winner will be alerted by phone or email on or before July 19, 2019.
Do I need to pay to enter?
No, there is no fee to enter the contest.
I am interested in getting my child into modeling—can you help with that?
We’re sorry, but we are not in the modeling business or equipped to give advice in this area. There are local experts who you might want to check out, though (try Model Moves Boot Camp and Modeling Camp, both based in NYC).
If I want to email a link to this contest to friends, may I do so?
Of course, we love when you share! Please send them this link so they can “like” us on Facebook and learn how to enter: nymetroparents.com/cover.
Good luck!
Featured photos by PhotoOp NYC.
