<?php
$xml = <<<EOF
<people>
 <person name="Person 1">
  <child/>
  <child/>
  <child/>
 </person>
 <person name="Person 2">
  <child/>
  <child/>
  <child/>
  <child/>
  <child/>
 </person>
</people>
EOF;
$elem = new SimpleXMLElement($xml);
foreach ($elem as $person) {
    printf("%s has got %d children.\n", $person['name'], $person->count());
}
?>
 
    
Person 1 has got 3 children.
Person 2 has got 5 children.