- print_r: documentation ( source)
<?php
$xml = "<root>
<parent>
<child name='Child1' />
<child name='Child2' />
<subparent>
<child name='Child3' />
</subparent>
</parent>
<child name='Child4' />
</root>";
$dom=DOMDocument();
$dom->loadXML($xml);
$val=$dom->getElementsByTagName('root')->item(0);
print_r($val);