Who was Zeus’s father? Why is Athena called the daughter of Zeus but not of Hera? Greek mythology has hundreds of gods, goddesses and Titans, and their family connections can get very confusing. This simple Greek gods family tree for kids sorts it all out, generation by generation, in clear, easy steps. Download the free printable chart to keep beside your child while they read the myths.
Ages 7–12 · 7-minute read · Includes a free printable family tree chart (simple and detailed versions).
Download the Greek Gods Family Tree Chart for Kids (PDF) — 3 pages: a simple one-page chart, a detailed chart with all 12 Titans, and a blank tree to fill in. US Letter size.
The Greek Gods Family Tree at a Glance
The Greek myths describe four main “generations” of gods. Here is the simplest way to remember them:
- The first beings: Chaos, then Gaia (Earth) and Uranus (Sky)
- The Titans: the 12 children of Gaia and Uranus, led by Cronus
- The first Olympians: the six children of Cronus and Rhea, including Zeus
- The younger Olympians: the children of Zeus, such as Athena, Apollo and Hermes
Keep reading for each generation in more detail.
Generation 1: The First Beings
Chaos
In the very beginning, according to the ancient Greek poet Hesiod, there was only Chaos, an empty, dark nothingness. From Chaos came the first beings, including Nyx (Night) and Erebus (Darkness).
Gaia and Uranus
Next came Gaia, Mother Earth. Gaia gave birth to Uranus, the Sky, who covered her like a great blue blanket. Together, Gaia and Uranus became the parents of the Titans, as well as the one-eyed Cyclopes and the hundred-handed giants.
Generation 2: The Titans
Gaia and Uranus had 12 children called the Titans. They were powerful giant gods who ruled the world before the Olympians. There were six brothers and six sisters:
- Cronus: the youngest and the leader, god of time and the harvest
- Rhea: mother of the gods
- Oceanus: the great river that circled the world
- Tethys: goddess of fresh water
- Hyperion: Titan of light
- Theia: Titaness of sight and shining light
- Coeus: Titan of wisdom
- Phoebe: Titaness of bright intellect
- Crius: Titan of the stars and constellations
- Iapetus: Titan of mortal life
- Themis: Titaness of law and fairness
- Mnemosyne: Titaness of memory
Cronus Takes Over
Uranus was a cruel father, so Gaia asked her children for help. The youngest Titan, Cronus, defeated his father and became king of the universe. Cronus married his sister Rhea.
Famous Children of the Titans
Some Titans had children who became famous in their own stories:
- Hyperion and Theia were the parents of Helios (the Sun), Selene (the Moon) and Eos (the Dawn).
- Iapetus was the father of Atlas, who held up the sky, and Prometheus, who gave fire to humans.
- Coeus and Phoebe were the parents of Leto, mother of Apollo and Artemis.
- Oceanus and Tethys were the parents of Metis, goddess of wisdom and mother of Athena.
Generation 3: The First Olympians (Children of Cronus and Rhea)
Cronus had been warned that one of his children would one day overthrow him, just as he had overthrown his father. So every time Rhea had a baby, Cronus swallowed it whole!
When her sixth child, Zeus, was born, Rhea tricked Cronus. She wrapped a stone in a blanket, and Cronus swallowed the stone instead. Baby Zeus was hidden on the island of Crete. When he grew up, Zeus made Cronus cough up his brothers and sisters. Together they fought the Titans in a great ten-year war and won.
The six children of Cronus and Rhea were:
- Hestia: goddess of the hearth and home
- Demeter: goddess of the harvest and farming
- Hera: queen of the gods, goddess of marriage and family
- Hades: ruler of the Underworld
- Poseidon: god of the sea, earthquakes and horses
- Zeus: king of the gods, god of the sky and thunder
After the war, the three brothers drew lots to share the world. Zeus got the sky, Poseidon got the sea, and Hades got the Underworld. Zeus married Hera and became king of Mount Olympus.
Generation 4: The Younger Olympians (Children of Zeus)
Zeus had many children with different goddesses and mortals. These are the most famous ones in the family tree:
- Athena: goddess of wisdom and war strategy, daughter of Zeus and Metis. She was born fully grown from Zeus’s head!
- Apollo: god of music, light and healing, son of Zeus and Leto
- Artemis: goddess of the hunt and the moon, Apollo’s twin sister
- Ares: god of war, son of Zeus and Hera
- Hephaestus: god of fire and blacksmiths, son of Hera (in some myths, Hera alone; in others, Zeus and Hera)
- Hermes: messenger of the gods, son of Zeus and Maia
- Dionysus: god of festivals and celebration, son of Zeus and the mortal princess Semele
- Persephone: queen of the Underworld, daughter of Zeus and Demeter
Where Does Aphrodite Fit?
Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, has two different origin stories. In Hesiod’s version, she rose from the sea foam near Cyprus, which would make her older than Zeus. In Homer’s version, she is the daughter of Zeus and the Titaness Dione. On our chart, she has a dotted line to show both stories.
Who Were the 12 Olympians?
The 12 Olympians were the main gods who lived on Mount Olympus. The most common list is:
- Zeus
- Hera
- Poseidon
- Demeter
- Athena
- Apollo
- Artemis
- Ares
- Aphrodite
- Hephaestus
- Hermes
- Hestia or Dionysus
Why “Hestia or Dionysus”? In some later stories, Hestia gave her seat on Olympus to Dionysus to keep the peace. Hades is not usually counted, because he lived in the Underworld rather than on Mount Olympus.
How to Use the Printable Family Tree Chart
- Simple version: shows Gaia and Uranus, Cronus and Rhea, their six children, and the main children of Zeus. It’s ideal for ages 7–9.
- Detailed version: adds all 12 Titans, their famous children, and the parents of each Olympian. It’s great for ages 10–12 and school projects.
- Color-coded: each generation has its own color band, and dotted lines show myths that have more than one version.
- Blank version: an empty tree for students to fill in themselves as a quiz or review activity.
Print one chart: Simple chart · Detailed chart with the Titans · Blank family tree. Each page link opens the PDF at that page. To print only that page, choose “Current page” (or type the page number) in your print settings.
Easy Tips to Remember the Greek Gods Family Tree
- Think “grandparents, parents, kids, grandkids”: Gaia and Uranus are the great-grandparents, the Titans are the grandparents, Cronus’s children are the parents, and Zeus’s children are the kids.
- Remember the swallowing story: All six children of Cronus and Rhea were swallowed, except Zeus.
- The big three brothers: Zeus (sky), Poseidon (sea) and Hades (Underworld).
- Twins: Apollo and Artemis are twins, both children of Leto.
Activities for the Classroom or Homeschool
- Fill in the blank tree: Use the blank chart as a quiz after reading the myths.
- Make a living family tree: Give each child a name card and ask the class to arrange themselves in the right order.
- Write a god profile: Choose one Olympian and write their parents, powers and symbols.
- Myth match-up: Match each god to their symbol, for example Zeus and the thunderbolt, Poseidon and the trident, Athena and the owl.
For more stories about gods, heroes and monsters, explore our Greek mythology for kids hub.
FAQ: Greek Gods Family Tree
Who is the father of all the Greek gods?
In the myths, Uranus (the Sky) is the father of the Titans, and his son Cronus is the father of Zeus and the first Olympians. Zeus is often called the “father of gods and men” because he was the king of the gods and the father of many of them.
Are Zeus and Hera brother and sister?
Yes. In Greek mythology, Zeus and Hera were both children of Cronus and Rhea. They were also husband and wife. Remember, these are ancient myths, not real families!
How many Greek gods are there?
There are hundreds of gods, goddesses and spirits in Greek mythology. The most important are the 12 Olympians, plus Hades, the Titans and the first beings such as Gaia and Uranus.
Who was the first Greek god?
According to Hesiod’s poem the Theogony, the first being was Chaos, the empty void. Gaia (Earth) came next and is often called the mother of all the gods, because the Titans and, through them, the Olympians all descend from her.
Why did Cronus swallow his children?
Cronus had been told that one of his children would take his throne, just as he had taken his father’s. To stop this, he swallowed each baby. His plan failed when Rhea hid Zeus, who grew up and freed his siblings.
Is the Greek gods family tree printable free?
Yes. All three versions of the chart are free for home and classroom use.
