diff --git a/src/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js b/src/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
index ce58214..7ad1ad5 100644
--- a/src/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
+++ b/src/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
@@ -144,8 +144,8 @@
         return;
     }
 
-    var index1 = this.children.indexOf(child);
-    var index2 = this.children.indexOf(child2);
+    var index1 = this.getChildIndex(child);
+    var index2 = this.getChildIndex(child2);
 
     if(index1 < 0 || index2 < 0) {
         throw new Error('swapChildren: Both the supplied DisplayObjects must be a child of the caller.');
@@ -154,6 +154,42 @@
     this.children[index1] = child2;
     this.children[index2] = child;
     
+
+};
+
+/**
+ * Returns the index position of a child DisplayObject instance
+ *
+ * @method getChildIndex
+ * @param child {DisplayObject} The DisplayObject instance to identify
+ * @return {Number} The index position of the child display object to identify
+ */
+PIXI.DisplayObjectContainer.prototype.getChildIndex = function(child)
+{
+    var index = this.children.indexOf(child);
+    if (index === -1)
+    {
+        throw new Error('The supplied DisplayObject must be a child of the caller');
+    }
+    return index;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Changes the position of an existing child in the display object container
+ *
+ * @method setChildIndex
+ * @param child {DisplayObject} The child DisplayObject instance for which you want to change the index number
+ * @param index {Number} The resulting index number for the child display object
+ */
+PIXI.DisplayObjectContainer.prototype.setChildIndex = function(child, index)
+{
+    if (index < 0 || index >= this.children.length)
+    {
+        throw new Error('The supplied index is out of bounds');
+    }
+    var currentIndex = this.getChildIndex(child);
+    this.children.splice(currentIndex, 1); //remove from old position
+    this.children.splice(index, 0, child); //add at new position
 };
 
 /**
@@ -164,14 +200,12 @@
  */
 PIXI.DisplayObjectContainer.prototype.getChildAt = function(index)
 {
-    if(index >= 0 && index < this.children.length)
-    {
-        return this.children[index];
-    }
-    else
+    if (index < 0 || index >= this.children.length)
     {
         throw new Error('getChildAt: Supplied index '+ index +' does not exist in the child list, or the supplied DisplayObject must be a child of the caller');
     }
+    return this.children[index];
+    
 };
 
 /**

diff --git a/src/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js b/src/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
index ce58214..7ad1ad5 100644
--- a/src/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
+++ b/src/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
@@ -144,8 +144,8 @@
         return;
     }
 
-    var index1 = this.children.indexOf(child);
-    var index2 = this.children.indexOf(child2);
+    var index1 = this.getChildIndex(child);
+    var index2 = this.getChildIndex(child2);
 
     if(index1 < 0 || index2 < 0) {
         throw new Error('swapChildren: Both the supplied DisplayObjects must be a child of the caller.');
@@ -154,6 +154,42 @@
     this.children[index1] = child2;
     this.children[index2] = child;
     
+
+};
+
+/**
+ * Returns the index position of a child DisplayObject instance
+ *
+ * @method getChildIndex
+ * @param child {DisplayObject} The DisplayObject instance to identify
+ * @return {Number} The index position of the child display object to identify
+ */
+PIXI.DisplayObjectContainer.prototype.getChildIndex = function(child)
+{
+    var index = this.children.indexOf(child);
+    if (index === -1)
+    {
+        throw new Error('The supplied DisplayObject must be a child of the caller');
+    }
+    return index;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Changes the position of an existing child in the display object container
+ *
+ * @method setChildIndex
+ * @param child {DisplayObject} The child DisplayObject instance for which you want to change the index number
+ * @param index {Number} The resulting index number for the child display object
+ */
+PIXI.DisplayObjectContainer.prototype.setChildIndex = function(child, index)
+{
+    if (index < 0 || index >= this.children.length)
+    {
+        throw new Error('The supplied index is out of bounds');
+    }
+    var currentIndex = this.getChildIndex(child);
+    this.children.splice(currentIndex, 1); //remove from old position
+    this.children.splice(index, 0, child); //add at new position
 };
 
 /**
@@ -164,14 +200,12 @@
  */
 PIXI.DisplayObjectContainer.prototype.getChildAt = function(index)
 {
-    if(index >= 0 && index < this.children.length)
-    {
-        return this.children[index];
-    }
-    else
+    if (index < 0 || index >= this.children.length)
     {
         throw new Error('getChildAt: Supplied index '+ index +' does not exist in the child list, or the supplied DisplayObject must be a child of the caller');
     }
+    return this.children[index];
+    
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/test/lib/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js b/test/lib/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
index 085c59f..58160a9 100644
--- a/test/lib/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
+++ b/test/lib/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
     expect(obj).to.respondTo('addChildAt');
     expect(obj).to.respondTo('swapChildren');
     expect(obj).to.respondTo('getChildAt');
+    expect(obj).to.respondTo('getChildIndex');
+    expect(obj).to.respondTo('setChildIndex');
     expect(obj).to.respondTo('removeChild');
     expect(obj).to.respondTo('updateTransform');
 

diff --git a/src/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js b/src/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
index ce58214..7ad1ad5 100644
--- a/src/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
+++ b/src/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
@@ -144,8 +144,8 @@
         return;
     }
 
-    var index1 = this.children.indexOf(child);
-    var index2 = this.children.indexOf(child2);
+    var index1 = this.getChildIndex(child);
+    var index2 = this.getChildIndex(child2);
 
     if(index1 < 0 || index2 < 0) {
         throw new Error('swapChildren: Both the supplied DisplayObjects must be a child of the caller.');
@@ -154,6 +154,42 @@
     this.children[index1] = child2;
     this.children[index2] = child;
     
+
+};
+
+/**
+ * Returns the index position of a child DisplayObject instance
+ *
+ * @method getChildIndex
+ * @param child {DisplayObject} The DisplayObject instance to identify
+ * @return {Number} The index position of the child display object to identify
+ */
+PIXI.DisplayObjectContainer.prototype.getChildIndex = function(child)
+{
+    var index = this.children.indexOf(child);
+    if (index === -1)
+    {
+        throw new Error('The supplied DisplayObject must be a child of the caller');
+    }
+    return index;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Changes the position of an existing child in the display object container
+ *
+ * @method setChildIndex
+ * @param child {DisplayObject} The child DisplayObject instance for which you want to change the index number
+ * @param index {Number} The resulting index number for the child display object
+ */
+PIXI.DisplayObjectContainer.prototype.setChildIndex = function(child, index)
+{
+    if (index < 0 || index >= this.children.length)
+    {
+        throw new Error('The supplied index is out of bounds');
+    }
+    var currentIndex = this.getChildIndex(child);
+    this.children.splice(currentIndex, 1); //remove from old position
+    this.children.splice(index, 0, child); //add at new position
 };
 
 /**
@@ -164,14 +200,12 @@
  */
 PIXI.DisplayObjectContainer.prototype.getChildAt = function(index)
 {
-    if(index >= 0 && index < this.children.length)
-    {
-        return this.children[index];
-    }
-    else
+    if (index < 0 || index >= this.children.length)
     {
         throw new Error('getChildAt: Supplied index '+ index +' does not exist in the child list, or the supplied DisplayObject must be a child of the caller');
     }
+    return this.children[index];
+    
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/test/lib/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js b/test/lib/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
index 085c59f..58160a9 100644
--- a/test/lib/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
+++ b/test/lib/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
     expect(obj).to.respondTo('addChildAt');
     expect(obj).to.respondTo('swapChildren');
     expect(obj).to.respondTo('getChildAt');
+    expect(obj).to.respondTo('getChildIndex');
+    expect(obj).to.respondTo('setChildIndex');
     expect(obj).to.respondTo('removeChild');
     expect(obj).to.respondTo('updateTransform');
 
diff --git a/test/unit/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js b/test/unit/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
index ce7f02f..15a3376 100644
--- a/test/unit/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
+++ b/test/unit/pixi/display/DisplayObjectContainer.js
@@ -17,4 +17,51 @@
         expect(obj).to.have.property('renderable', false);
         expect(obj).to.have.property('stage', null);
     });
+
+    it('Gets child index', function() {
+        var container = new PIXI.DisplayObjectContainer();
+        var children = [];
+        for (var i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+            var child = new PIXI.DisplayObject();
+            children.push(child);
+            container.addChild(child);
+        }
+
+        for (i = 0; i < children.length; i++) {
+            expect(i).to.eql(container.getChildIndex(children[i]));
+        }
+    });
+
+    it('throws error when trying to get index of not a child', function() {
+        var container = new PIXI.DisplayObjectContainer();
+        var child = new PIXI.DisplayObject();
+
+        expect(function() { container.getChildIndex(child); }).to.throw();
+    });
+
+    it('Sets child index', function() {
+        var container = new PIXI.DisplayObjectContainer();
+        var children = [];
+
+        for (var i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+            var child = new PIXI.DisplayObject();
+            children.push(child);
+            container.addChild(child);
+        }
+        children.reverse();
+
+        for (i = 0; i < children.length; i++) {
+            container.setChildIndex(children[i], i);
+            expect(i).to.eql(container.getChildIndex(children[i]));
+        }
+    });
+
+      it('throws error when trying to set incorect index', function() {
+        var container = new PIXI.DisplayObjectContainer();
+        var child = new PIXI.DisplayObject();
+        container.addChild(child);
+
+        expect(function() { container.setChildIndex(child, -1); }).to.throw();
+        expect(function() { container.setChildIndex(child, 1); }).to.throw();
+    });
 });