diff --git a/include/openmc/xml_interface.h b/include/openmc/xml_interface.h
index 85db26faa3..8bf0f21749 100644
--- a/include/openmc/xml_interface.h
+++ b/include/openmc/xml_interface.h
@@ -50,5 +50,12 @@ xt::xarray<T> get_node_xarray(pugi::xml_node node, const char* name,
   return xt::adapt(v, shape);
 }
 
+//===============================================================================
+// GET_NODE_LIST is used to get a pointer to a list of sub-element nodes
+//===============================================================================
+
+std::vector<pugi::xml_node>
+get_child_nodes(pugi::xml_node node, const char* name);
+ 
 } // namespace openmc
 #endif // OPENMC_XML_INTERFACE_H
diff --git a/src/xml_interface.cpp b/src/xml_interface.cpp
index 60ae7ffcab..c9b7bbcab3 100644
--- a/src/xml_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/xml_interface.cpp
@@ -56,4 +56,20 @@ get_node_value_bool(pugi::xml_node node, const char* name)
   return false;
 }
 
+
+
+std::vector<pugi::xml_node>
+get_child_nodes(pugi::xml_node node, const char* name)
+{
+  pugi::xml_node current;
+  std::vector<pugi::xml_node> node_list;
+
+  for (pugi::xml_node current : node.children(name)) {
+      node_list.push_back(current);
+  }
+
+  return node_list;
+}
+
+  
 } // namespace openmc