{"id":15423,"date":"2026-02-02T07:22:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T07:22:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.copebusiness.com\/?p=15423"},"modified":"2026-02-07T10:17:39","modified_gmt":"2026-02-07T10:17:39","slug":"display-child-pages-parent-wordpress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.copebusiness.com\/fr\/wordpress\/affichage-pages-parent-motpress\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Display a List of Child Pages for a Parent Page in WordPress"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Organizing content with parent and child pages (subpages) is a powerful way to structure your WordPress site \u2014 especially for documentation, service pages, tutorials, portfolios, or multi-level business sites. Displaying a dynamic list of child pages under a parent page helps visitors navigate deeper content quickly, reduces bounce rates, improves internal linking, and sends strong SEO signals to Google about your site hierarchy.<br><br>With full-site editing and block themes, showing child pages dynamically is still a very common need \u2014 and WordPress makes it easy without complicated coding. At Cope Business, we frequently add child page lists for clients during our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.copebusiness.com\/technical-seo-services\/technical-seo-audit-service\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">technical SEO audit services<\/a> to improve site structure, user experience, and crawl efficiency.<br><br>This step-by-step guide shows you four easy ways to display a list of child pages for any parent page in WordPress \u2014 using shortcodes, widgets, code, and plugins.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">On this page<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0a0a0a;color:#0a0a0a\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0a0a0a;color:#0a0a0a\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copebusiness.com\/fr\/wordpress\/affichage-pages-parent-motpress\/#Why_Display_Child_Pages_for_a_Parent_Page\" >Why Display Child Pages for a Parent Page?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copebusiness.com\/fr\/wordpress\/affichage-pages-parent-motpress\/#Method_1_Using_a_Shortcode_Easiest_%E2%80%93_No_Plugin_Needed\" >Method 1: Using a Shortcode (Easiest \u2013 No Plugin Needed)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copebusiness.com\/fr\/wordpress\/affichage-pages-parent-motpress\/#Method_2_Using_a_Widget_For_Sidebars_or_Footers\" >Method 2: Using a Widget (For Sidebars or Footers)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copebusiness.com\/fr\/wordpress\/affichage-pages-parent-motpress\/#Method_3_Using_a_Plugin_Best_for_Visual_Advanced_Control\" >Method 3: Using a Plugin (Best for Visual &amp; Advanced Control)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copebusiness.com\/fr\/wordpress\/affichage-pages-parent-motpress\/#Method_4_Using_Custom_Code_in_Page_Template_Advanced\" >Method 4: Using Custom Code in Page Template (Advanced)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copebusiness.com\/fr\/wordpress\/affichage-pages-parent-motpress\/#Best_Practices_for_Child_Page_Lists\" >Best Practices for Child Page Lists<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.copebusiness.com\/fr\/wordpress\/affichage-pages-parent-motpress\/#Final_Thoughts\" >Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Display_Child_Pages_for_a_Parent_Page\"><\/span>Why Display Child Pages for a Parent Page?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Better Navigation<\/strong> \u2014 Users see related subpages without digging through menus<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Improved UX<\/strong> \u2014 Clear hierarchy = less frustration<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>SEO Benefits<\/strong> \u2014 Stronger internal linking, better crawl path, topic clusters<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Content Discovery<\/strong> \u2014 Highlights deeper pages that might otherwise be missed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Professional Look<\/strong> \u2014 Makes documentation, services, or course sites feel organized<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ideal for: Service pages (\u201cSEO Services\u201d \u2192 child pages for each service), documentation sites, course outlines, or portfolio categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Method_1_Using_a_Shortcode_Easiest_%E2%80%93_No_Plugin_Needed\"><\/span>Method 1: Using a Shortcode (Easiest \u2013 No Plugin Needed)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WordPress has a built-in shortcode for listing child pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Steps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Edit any parent page (or create a new one).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In the block editor, add a <strong>Shortcode<\/strong> block.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Paste this shortcode:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>text<code>&#91;list_pages child_of=\"CURRENT_PAGE_ID\" sort_column=\"menu_order\" depth=\"1\"]<\/code><\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Replace CURRENT_PAGE_ID with the actual ID of the parent page (find ID in URL when editing: post=123)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Or use this dynamic version (shows children of current page automatically):<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>text<code>&#91;list_pages child_of=\"this\" sort_column=\"menu_order\" depth=\"1\"]<\/code><\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Customize options:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>depth=&#8221;1&#8243; \u2192 only direct children<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>sort_column=&#8221;title&#8221; \u2192 alphabetical<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>exclude=&#8221;45,67&#8243; \u2192 exclude specific page IDs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>include=&#8221;12,34&#8243; \u2192 only show these pages<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Publish \u2192 You now have a clean list of child pages!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pros<\/strong>: Zero plugins, native, very fast.<br><strong>Cons<\/strong>: Basic styling (add CSS for better look).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Quick CSS Tip<\/strong> (Appearance &gt; Customize &gt; Additional CSS):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CSS<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>ul<em>.children<\/em> li {\n    list-style: none;\n    margin-bottom: 10px;\n}\nul<em>.children<\/em> a {\n    display: block;\n    padding: 12px;\n    background: #f8f9fa;\n    border-radius: 6px;\n    text-decoration: none;\n}\nul<em>.children<\/em> a<em>:hover<\/em> {\n    background: #e9ecef;\n}<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Method_2_Using_a_Widget_For_Sidebars_or_Footers\"><\/span>Method 2: Using a Widget (For Sidebars or Footers)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Go to <strong>Appearance &gt; Widgets<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add <strong>Page<\/strong> widget to your desired sidebar\/footer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In widget settings:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Title: \u201cMore Services\u201d or \u201cIn This Section\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check \u201cDisplay sub-pages of current page\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check \u201cSort by menu order\u201d or title<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Depth: 1 (direct children only)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Save \u2192 Child pages appear dynamically in sidebar.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pros<\/strong>: Very easy, no shortcodes.<br><strong>Cons<\/strong>: Only works in widget areas (not inside content).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Method_3_Using_a_Plugin_Best_for_Visual_Advanced_Control\"><\/span>Method 3: Using a Plugin (Best for Visual &amp; Advanced Control)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plugins give you thumbnails, styling, hierarchy, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recommended Plugin: List category posts with pagination (Free)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Install <strong>List category posts with pagination<\/strong> or <strong>Display Pages<\/strong> (both free).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use shortcode inside content:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>text<code>&#91;display-posts parent=\"CURRENT_PAGE_ID\" posts_per_page=\"10\" orderby=\"menu_order title\" include_excerpt=\"true\" image_size=\"thumbnail\"]<\/code><\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br>(Replace CURRENT_PAGE_ID with actual ID or use dynamic methods)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Best Plugin<\/strong>: <strong>Page-list<\/strong> (free)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Shortcode: <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>&#91;pagelist child_of=\"this\" depth=\"1\" show_image=\"true\" show_first_image=\"true\"]<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Adds thumbnails, excerpts, hierarchy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pros<\/strong>: Thumbnails, pagination, excerpts, styling options.<br><strong>Cons<\/strong>: Adds one more plugin (lightweight).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Method_4_Using_Custom_Code_in_Page_Template_Advanced\"><\/span>Method 4: Using Custom Code in Page Template (Advanced)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For full control on specific pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Create a child theme.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Copy page.php to page-child-pages.php<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add this code where you want the list:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>PHP<code>&lt;?php $children = wp_list_pages(array( 'child_of' =&gt; get_the_ID(), 'echo' =&gt; 0, 'title_li' =&gt; '', 'depth' =&gt; 1, 'sort_column' =&gt; 'menu_order' )); if ($children) { echo '&lt;ul class=\"child-pages-list\"&gt;'; echo $children; echo '&lt;\/ul&gt;'; } ?&gt;<\/code><\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Assign this template to parent pages (Page Attributes &gt; Template).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pros<\/strong>: Total control, no plugin.<br><strong>Cons<\/strong>: Requires child theme &amp; template knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_Practices_for_Child_Page_Lists\"><\/span>Best Practices for Child Page Lists<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Hierarchy<\/strong> \u2014 Use depth=&#8221;1&#8243; for direct children only<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Styling<\/strong> \u2014 Add thumbnails, excerpts, or icons for visual appeal<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>SEO<\/strong> \u2014 Use descriptive headings; add internal links naturally<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mobile<\/strong> \u2014 Ensure list is responsive (most plugins handle this)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Performance<\/strong> \u2014 Cache page if using dynamic queries<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thoughts\"><\/span>Final Thoughts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Displaying child pages under a parent page is a quick way to improve navigation, user experience, and internal linking \u2014 all of which help SEO. Start with the built-in shortcode method \u2014 it\u2019s simple and powerful. Add a plugin if you want thumbnails and styling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Better structure = better user experience = better rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Need help organizing your site hierarchy, adding dynamic child page lists, or optimizing for SEO? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.copebusiness.com\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Contact Cope Business<\/a> for a free technical SEO consultation \u2014 we\u2019ll review your site structure and implement improvements that drive real results.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Organizing content with parent and child pages (subpages) is a powerful way to structure your WordPress site &mdash; especially for 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