# SimpleXMLElement->children()

(PHP 5 >= 5.0.1)

SimpleXMLElement->children() — Finds children of given node

### Description

SimpleXMLElement
SimpleXMLElement children ([ string `$ns` [, bool `$is_prefix` ]] )

This method finds the children of the element of which it is a member. The result follows normal iteration rules.

> Note: SimpleXML has made a rule of adding iterative properties to most methods. They cannot be viewed using var_dump() or anything else which can examine objects.

### Parameters

`ns`

`is_prefix`

  Default to `FALSE`

### Return Values

### ChangeLog

Version | Description
--- | ---
5.2.0 | The optional parameter `is_prefix` was added.

### Examples

Example#1 Traversing a children() pseudo-array

`<?php
$xml = new SimpleXMLElement(
'<person>
<child role="son">
<child role="daughter"/>
</child>
<child role="daughter">
<child role="son">
<child role="son"/>
</child>
</child>
</person>');
foreach ($xml->children() as $second_gen) {
echo ' The person begot a ' . $second_gen['role'];
foreach ($second_gen->children() as $third_gen) {
echo ' who begot a ' . $third_gen['role'] . ';';
foreach ($third_gen->children() as $fourth_gen) {
echo ' and that ' . $third_gen['role'] .
' begot a ' . $fourth_gen['role'];
}
}
}
?>`

The above example will output:

    The person begot a son who begot a daughter; The person
    begot a daughter who begot a son; and that son begot a son