Children's Week runs for exactly one week - this year it runs from May 2nd to May 9th - and highlights the biggest victims of the ongoing war in Azeroth: the children. There are a few major questlines that are available which have you taking an orphan out on an adventure, showing them the world, and then returning them back home to the orphanage. The rewards players can earn during the event include some of the better looking non-combat pets out there, achievements, and even a nifty title.

2013 Changes

Nothing new this year, but the pets are now Pet Battle Pets, making it a bit more important to get the pets this year.

2012 Changes

Nothing new to report this yet. The only thing to take into consideration is that some of the achievements are easier this year as many players already have most of the achievements by now. School of Hard Knocks is still tough, so plan to start working on it first.

Achievement Walkthrough

The following achievements count toward 'For The Children' unless otherwise noted, which counts for 'What A Long Strange Trip It's Been'.

• Aw, Isn't It Cute?: Simply choose one of the non-combat pet rewards after doing one of the quest chains below.
• Bad Example: You must eat different flavors of ice cream while your orphan is out. The Red Velvet Cupcake, Lovely Cake Slice, Dalaran Brownie, and Dalaran Doughnut are sold by Aimee in Dalaran. The Tasty Cupcake and Delicious Chocolate Cake are crafted by cooks. The ice cream is sold by various vendors, try Matron Tikkit the Horde innkeeper in Nagrand or Caregiver Isel, the Alliance innkeeper in Nagrand or from the seasonal vendors in the capital cities.
• Daily Chores: You need to do 5 daily quests with your orphan out. Easy as pie. Do five tournament daily quests and then fly back to the tournament. Summon your orphan as you turn them in.
• Hail To The King Baby: Queue up for Utgarde Pinnacle, normal or heroic, and summon your orphan before you fight King Ymiron.
• Home Alone: Use your hearthstone with your orphan out.
• School of Hard Knocks: This is one of the hardest seasonal quests to do because it requires you to assault various nodes in PvP (capture the flag in Eye of the Storm, assault a tower in Alterac Valley, assault a flag in Arathi Basin, return a flag in Warsong Gulch) while your orphan is out. Make a macro to point at your orphan to let other players know you're trying to do your achievement.
• Veteran Nanny: Not required for the meta achievement, but simply wants you to get all three pets from the Outland questlines. Takes three years to complete.

Quest Walkthroughs

In order to get all of the achievements except 'Veteran Nanny' and 'Aw, Isn't It Cute?' you simply need to start the first quest and get your orphan summoning whistle. Most quests involve you going somewhere and then summoning your orphan. Easy stuff, right?

You can get another whistle after the quest series is complete. So don't worry about turning the quest in and losing your orphan. Though, personally I'd just do all of the achievements before the quests.

Alliance Questlines

Stormwind Orphan – Randis (Level 10 Requirement)

You need to speak to Orphan Matron Nightingale in the Cathedral Square and accept 'Children's Week.' Use the 'Human Orphan Whistle' to summon your orphan and accept all three quests that it offers. Go to the following locations, summon your orphan, then turn the quests in.

• Cruisin' the Chasm: Travel to Sentinel Hill in Westfall.
• Malfurion Has Returned!: Go to the Temple of the Moon in Darnassus and meet Malfurion Stormage.
• The Biggest Diamond Ever: Travel to the Hall of Thanes in Ironforge.

You will receive two new quests once all three quests are complete.

• You Scream, I Scream: You need to buy 'Cone of Cold' and share it with your Orphan.
• Let's Go Fly a Kite: Buy a Dragon Kite 2-Pack and and fly the kite with your Orphan. It is sold in Stormwind from Craggle Wobbletop.

Finally, there will be one last quest to return to Stormwind City.

• A Warden of the Alliance: Return to the matron in Stormwind and you'll be able to choose between Piglet's Collar, a Rat Cage, or Turtle Box. The quest is repeatable once a year, so after three years you can collect all of the pets. In Cataclysm you'll need to buy a Foam Sword Rack from the previous vendor to complete this quest.

Shattrath Orphan – Dornaa (Level 60 Requirement)

You can do the Outland quests in addition to the Stormwind quests. These quests are a bit easier because you can simply fly to many of the locations yourself.

Begin by making your way to Shattrath City and speaking to Orphan Matron Mercy who will give you your orphan whistle who will summon Dornaa.

• A Trip to the Dark Portal: Go to the Stair of Destiny in Hellfire Peninsula and summon your orphan. It's really that simple.
• Auchindoun and the Ring of Observance: Go to the summoning stone for Auchindoun in Terrokar Forest (39,64) and summon your orphan. Help her use the summoning stone and the quest will be complete.
• Jheel is at Aeris Landing!: Go to Aeris Landing in Nagrand (31,57) and wait for the cutscene to end. Pretty simple.

After all three are done you'll have two more quests.

• Time to Visit the Caverns: Go to the Caverns of Time (there is a portal in Dalaran for quick access) and summon her in front of Zaldormu. Then buy her a Toy Dragon from the Keepers of Time Quartermaster.
• The Seat of the Naaru: This is actually two quests. Go to O'ros in The Exodar who will send you to the Crystal Hall to meet Farseer Nobundo.

When those two are done you'll need to return to the orphanage:

• Back to the Orphanage: Gives you the option of Egbert's Egg, Elekk Training Collar, and Sleepy Willy.

Horde Quests

Orgrimmar Orphan – Grunth (Level 10 Requirement)

You'll want to pick up your orphan at Orphan Matron Battlewail who is in The Valley of Honor. You'll be given an 'Orcish Orphan Whistle' which will summon Grunth. Grunth will give you the following three quests.

• Ridin' the Rocketway: Visit the Secret Lab in Azshara with your Orphan.
• The Banshee Queen: Visit Lady Sylvanas with your Orphan.
• The Fallen Chieftan: Visit the Red Rockets in Mulgore with your Orphan.

Two more quests await you after you have finished the first three.

• You Scream, I Scream…: Purchase a Cone of Cold and share it with your Orphan. At the same time, get a Foam Sword Rack.These are sold in the Dragon in Orgrimmar.
• Let's Go Fly a Kite: Buy a Dragon Kite 2-Pack from Blax Bottlerocket and use it with your Orphan.

You'll be sent to return to the matron when both quests are done.

• A Warden of the Horde: Be sure to have your Foam Sword Rack. You'll have an option of picking up Piglet's Collar, a Rat Cage, or a Turtle Box.

Shattrath Orphan – Salandria (Level 60 Requirement)

Don't forgot to summon your orphan.

Simply go to Shattrath City and speak with Orphan Matron Mercy who will give you the 'Blood Elf Orphan Whistle.' You'll get three quests which need to be completed from your orphan.

• Visit the Throne of Elements: Go to Nagrand and visit the Throne of the Elements (60,22) and summon your orphan.
• A Trip to the Dark Portal: Go to the Stair of Destiny (the Dark Portal or the entrance to Outland) in Hellfire Peninsula. Summon your orphan and the quest will complete.
• Hch'uu and the Mushroom People: Go to Sporeggar in Zangarmarsh and speak with Hch'uu with your orphan out. (19,51).

You'll be given two additional quests once you've finished those three.

• Time to Visit the Caverns: Simple, go to Dalaran and take the portal to the Caverns of Time (or go there any other way). Summon your Orphan in front of Zaldormu and then buy it a Toy Dragon from the Keepers of Time Quartermaster.
• Now, When I Grow Up…: Go to the entrance of Silvermoon City and summon your orphan. The Elite Tauren Chieftains are on a balcony near the entrance.

When you've completed everything you get one last quest to return.

• Back to the Orphanage: Return to the Orphanage in Shattrath City and collect your reward, Egbert's Egg, Elekk Training Collar, or Sleepy Willy. You can repeat this each year until you have all three pets.

Dalaran (Neutral Quests) (Requires Level 70)

You can pick up one of two orphans in Dalaran no matter what faction you belong to. The quests are very simple and involve visiting different places in Northrend. You have a choice of either helping the Oracles or the Wolvar. Don't worry though, you can do the other quest line next year.

Oracle Orphan – Roo

'Little Orphan Roo Of The Oracles' leads you to the following five quests which can be completed in any order:

• The Dragon Queen: Summon your orphan on top of Wyrmrest Temple in Dragonblight.
• Meeting a Great One: Go to Shaper's Terrace in Un'Goro Crater. You don't need to be on the major questline in order to do this. Just go to the waygate at 40,83 in Sholazar Basin. Summon your Orphan in front of The Etymidian.
• The Bronze Dragonshrine: Summon your orphan in the Bronze Dragonshrine in Dragonblight.
• The Biggest Tree Ever!: Summon your orphan inside of the big tree in the middle of Grizzly Hills (50,42). The center of the tree shouldn't have any mobs to fight if you just fly down the center of it.
• Playmates!: Go to Winterfine Retreat in Borean Tundra.

After you finish all five quests you'll have one more to complete:

• A Trip To The Wonderworks: Return to Dalaran and buy a Small Paper Zeppelin from the Wonderworks in Dalaran. Use it with your orphan and the quest will complete.
• Back To The Orphanage: Return to the Orphan Matron Aria for your Curious Oracle Hatchling and the quest complete.

Wolvar Orphan – Kekek

'Little Orphan Kekek Of The Wolvar' leads you to the following five quests which can be completed in any order.

• The Bronze Dragonshrine: Summon your orphan in the Bronze Dragonshrine in Dragonblight.
• The Dragon Queen: Summon your orphan on top of Wyrmrest Temple in Dragonblight.
• The Mighty Hemet Nesingwary: Summon your Orphan in front of Hemet Nesingwary in his base camp (Sholazar Basin).
• Home Of The Bear-Men: Summon your orphan inside of the big tree in the middle of Grizzly Hills (50,42). The center of the tree shouldn't have any mobs to fight if you just fly down the center of it.
• Playmates!: Summon your orphan in Snowfall Glade in Dragonblight.

After you finish all five quests you'll have one more to complete:

• A Trip To The Wonderworks: Return to Dalaran and buy a Small Paper Zeppelin from the Wonderworks in Dalaran. Use it with your orphan and the quest will complete.
• Back To The Orphanage: Return to the Orphan Matron Aria for your Curious Wolvar Pup and the quest complete.

Well that's it for this holiday! Come to the Ten Ton Hammer forums if you have any questions and we'll do our best to help.