diff --git a/crates/voltex_ecs/src/hierarchy.rs b/crates/voltex_ecs/src/hierarchy.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..95d28ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/voltex_ecs/src/hierarchy.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+use crate::entity::Entity;
+use crate::world::World;
+use crate::transform::Transform;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
+pub struct Parent(pub Entity);
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct Children(pub Vec<Entity>);
+
+/// Set `child`'s Parent to `parent` and register `child` in `parent`'s Children list.
+/// Does nothing if `child` is already in the Children list (no duplicates).
+pub fn add_child(world: &mut World, parent: Entity, child: Entity) {
+    // Set the Parent component on the child
+    world.add(child, Parent(parent));
+
+    // Check whether parent already has a Children component
+    if world.get::<Children>(parent).is_some() {
+        let children = world.get_mut::<Children>(parent).unwrap();
+        if !children.0.contains(&child) {
+            children.0.push(child);
+        }
+    } else {
+        world.add(parent, Children(vec![child]));
+    }
+}
+
+/// Remove `child` from `parent`'s Children list and strip the Parent component from `child`.
+pub fn remove_child(world: &mut World, parent: Entity, child: Entity) {
+    // Remove the child from the parent's Children list
+    if let Some(children) = world.get_mut::<Children>(parent) {
+        children.0.retain(|&e| e != child);
+    }
+
+    // Remove the Parent component from the child
+    world.remove::<Parent>(child);
+}
+
+/// Despawn `entity` and all of its descendants recursively.
+/// Also removes `entity` from its own parent's Children list.
+pub fn despawn_recursive(world: &mut World, entity: Entity) {
+    // Collect children first to avoid borrow conflicts during recursion
+    let children: Vec<Entity> = world
+        .get::<Children>(entity)
+        .map(|c| c.0.clone())
+        .unwrap_or_default();
+
+    // Recurse into each child
+    for child in children {
+        despawn_recursive(world, child);
+    }
+
+    // Remove this entity from its parent's Children list (if it has a parent)
+    let parent_entity = world.get::<Parent>(entity).map(|p| p.0);
+    if let Some(parent) = parent_entity {
+        if let Some(siblings) = world.get_mut::<Children>(parent) {
+            siblings.0.retain(|&e| e != entity);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Despawn the entity itself (this removes all its components too)
+    world.despawn(entity);
+}
+
+/// Return all entities that have a Transform but no Parent — i.e. scene roots.
+pub fn roots(world: &World) -> Vec<Entity> {
+    world
+        .query::<Transform>()
+        .filter(|(entity, _)| world.get::<Parent>(*entity).is_none())
+        .map(|(entity, _)| entity)
+        .collect()
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_add_child() {
+        let mut world = World::new();
+        let parent = world.spawn();
+        let child = world.spawn();
+
+        add_child(&mut world, parent, child);
+
+        // Parent component set on child
+        let p = world.get::<Parent>(child).expect("child should have Parent");
+        assert_eq!(p.0, parent);
+
+        // Children component on parent contains child
+        let c = world.get::<Children>(parent).expect("parent should have Children");
+        assert!(c.0.contains(&child));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_add_multiple_children() {
+        let mut world = World::new();
+        let parent = world.spawn();
+        let child1 = world.spawn();
+        let child2 = world.spawn();
+
+        add_child(&mut world, parent, child1);
+        add_child(&mut world, parent, child2);
+
+        let c = world.get::<Children>(parent).expect("parent should have Children");
+        assert_eq!(c.0.len(), 2);
+        assert!(c.0.contains(&child1));
+        assert!(c.0.contains(&child2));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_remove_child() {
+        let mut world = World::new();
+        let parent = world.spawn();
+        let child = world.spawn();
+
+        add_child(&mut world, parent, child);
+        remove_child(&mut world, parent, child);
+
+        // Child should no longer have a Parent
+        assert!(world.get::<Parent>(child).is_none(), "child should have no Parent after removal");
+
+        // Parent's Children list should be empty
+        let c = world.get::<Children>(parent).expect("parent should still have Children component");
+        assert!(c.0.is_empty(), "Children list should be empty after removal");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_despawn_recursive() {
+        let mut world = World::new();
+        let root = world.spawn();
+        let child = world.spawn();
+        let grandchild = world.spawn();
+
+        // Add transforms so they are proper scene nodes
+        world.add(root, Transform::new());
+        world.add(child, Transform::new());
+        world.add(grandchild, Transform::new());
+
+        add_child(&mut world, root, child);
+        add_child(&mut world, child, grandchild);
+
+        despawn_recursive(&mut world, root);
+
+        assert!(!world.is_alive(root), "root should be despawned");
+        assert!(!world.is_alive(child), "child should be despawned");
+        assert!(!world.is_alive(grandchild), "grandchild should be despawned");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_roots() {
+        let mut world = World::new();
+        let root1 = world.spawn();
+        let root2 = world.spawn();
+        let child = world.spawn();
+
+        world.add(root1, Transform::new());
+        world.add(root2, Transform::new());
+        world.add(child, Transform::new());
+
+        add_child(&mut world, root1, child);
+
+        let r = roots(&world);
+        assert_eq!(r.len(), 2, "should have exactly 2 roots");
+        assert!(r.contains(&root1));
+        assert!(r.contains(&root2));
+        assert!(!r.contains(&child));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_no_duplicate_child() {
+        let mut world = World::new();
+        let parent = world.spawn();
+        let child = world.spawn();
+
+        add_child(&mut world, parent, child);
+        add_child(&mut world, parent, child); // add same child again
+
+        let c = world.get::<Children>(parent).expect("parent should have Children");
+        assert_eq!(c.0.len(), 1, "Children should not contain duplicates");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/voltex_ecs/src/lib.rs b/crates/voltex_ecs/src/lib.rs
index e94b7e6..1f5ab3d 100644
--- a/crates/voltex_ecs/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/voltex_ecs/src/lib.rs
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@ pub mod entity;
 pub mod sparse_set;
 pub mod world;
 pub mod transform;
+pub mod hierarchy;
 
 pub use entity::{Entity, EntityAllocator};
 pub use sparse_set::SparseSet;
 pub use world::World;
 pub use transform::Transform;
+pub use hierarchy::{Parent, Children, add_child, remove_child, despawn_recursive, roots};