NOMINATIONS are OPEN for the 2026 Family Choice Awards by GRKIDS

By / / West Michigan
2026 Family Choice Awards Family Favorites in Grand rapids

Show Your Favorite Businesses Some Love

It’s officially time for the GRKIDS Family Choice Awards, our annual celebration of the places, services, and experiences West Michigan families love most. Each year, area families nominate and vote on the Best of Grand Rapids for families, sharing what really shows up for them in everyday life.

(You might notice a new name this year. The Grandtastic Awards are now the GRKIDS Family Choice Awards, a refresh that better reflects today’s families and communities across West Michigan.)

Download a Free Grand Rapids Coloring Page (and Help a Preschool Win)

Want to help a local preschool? Enter a preschool code word when you nominate or vote.

2026 GRKIDS Coloring Page

Download Coloring Page

We created a free, Grand Rapids–themed coloring page as part of the GRKIDS Family Choice Awards.

Each participating preschool has a unique code word. When families enter a preschool’s code word while nominating or voting, it helps that school earn a chance to win. Each family can use a preschool code word twice, once during nominations and once during voting.

After voting closes, the preschool with the most code word entries will each win their choice of:
• a small advertising package, or
• a $250 school stipend for classroom supplies, books, a school celebration, or another school need.

What Families Can Win
Three individuals that nominate/vote for at least 6 businesses in the 2026 GRKIDS Family Choice Awards will also be randomly selected to win a $50 gift card to one of our winning local businesses.

GR Family Choice Awards Details

CONTEST TIMELINE 2025
Nominations: January 29 – February 10, 2026
Finalists Voting: February 18 – March 4, 2026
Winners Announced: May 2026

Getting on the Ballot

It’s easy to get on the ballot during nominations. Just write your business in, or add a deserving business to the list of candidates. The top ten nominees in each category will then move on to the final voting round.

Family Choice Award Rules

  • Only one person PER household may nominate/vote.
  • Votes with invalid email addresses will not count and may disqualify the nominee from winning. It is against policy to place a vote using any email address other than your own.
  • GRKIDS will make attempts to confirm AND validate each email to ensure authenticity. 
  • GRKIDS reserves the right to eliminate votes that are deemed invalid or have interfered with the fair administration of this contest. Purchasing votes, employing bots, or any other type of ballot manipulation is strictly prohibited.
  • Any legitimate entrant placing (6) or more nominations/votes will be automatically entered to win one of the gift card prizes.

Regarding the Preschool Code Word Contest

  • Code word totals will be tallied after both the nomination and voting phases are closed.
  • Families do not need to currently attend your school to use your code word.
  • We encourage you to invite both current and past families to participate.
  • You’re also welcome to share your code with any families in the West Michigan area.
  • Each family may use a preschool code word twice, once for nominations, once for voting. 

Make Your Selections Here

Vote for your favorites in the 2026 Best of Grand Rapids Family Choice Awards from Grand Rapids Kids! (When you vote for 6+ places, you are automatically entered to win.)

HOW TO VOTE
STEP 1: Click on a category & start voting.
STEP 2: Enter your email address. (After your email address has been accepted you are entered to win.)
STEP 3: Continue voting for all of your favorite local businesses. You don’t have to vote for every category.
STEP 4: Come back to continue voting at any point during the voting period. Your votes will be saved.
*Only one voting form per person is allowed.

STEP 5: Wait for the form to load. (If you don’t see the voting form, it might still be loading.) If the form does not load after a minute, please click here to open it in a new window.

FINE PRINT: This giveaway will close on March 4, 2026, at 11 pm. The winner will be notified via email in April 2026. The winner will have 24 hours to respond by email accepting the prize. No purchase necessary to enter the contest. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. You are providing your information to grkids.com and not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used to enter the contest and notify winners. Entrants will release Facebook from all liability. Entrants must be at least 18 years of age and reside in Michigan. Only one entry per household or IP address. Grand Rapids Kids’ liability is limited to the value of the prize.

More West Michigan Fun

70 thoughts on “NOMINATIONS are OPEN for the 2026 Family Choice Awards by GRKIDS”

  16. Pam Kriekard

    Shared on Facebook with an added plug to vote for the Academy of Music (take it from me-a music teacher!!)

  40. Kelly

    Shared on Facebook! And encouraged people to vote for ISR as the best swim program. My second child is going through the program now. My oldest was completely self sufficient in the water (swimming the length of the pool) by age three. It’s such a great program!!!

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