Joanna and Chip Gaines Are Parents First! Get to Know the ‘Fixer Upper’ Couple’s 5 Kids

Drake Gaines

Born in 2005, Drake is the eldest of the Gaines kids. Whether he’s hanging out on the farm with his dad or spending quality time with his younger brother Crew, Drake loves being with his famous family.

Joanna even dished how their eldest son likes to get involved in their TV gigs. “Drake loves the production side, so in the summer he’s up with the guys and they’re teaching him how to edit,” she once told People.

The proud parents also revealed Drake got his driver’s permit in February 2020. “Drake waited in line for an hour and finally got called up to get his driver’s permit,” Joanna captioned a photo of his son at the DMV. “And then my 15-year-old little boy drove home with Chip and all of a sudden he is all grown up.”

A year later in February 2021, the eldest Gaines kid got his driver’s license. It was an emotional day for Joanna, who broke down in tears after the huge milestone. 

“I was so excited leading up to it, and Jo was too, kind of,” Chip shared in an interview with People at the time. “Then we get this kid his license, and the first morning he goes to drive, Jo bawls her eyes out. She was just devastated and wanted no part. She wants to hire him a chauffeur!”

In August 2022, Joanna opened about the “heartbreaking” reality of sending her eldest son to college.

“My first child is moving away, and our family dynamic will change because of it, and that can feel like a loss of its own,” she wrote in an essay for the fall issue of Magnolia Journal. “I catch glimpses now of what that life will look like and wonder if — or how many times — that might bring me to the floor.”

Joanna was “emotional” when her eldest child went off to college, a source exclusively told Closer in November 2023. “Even though her youngest, Crew, is 5, she pictures a life without kids around,” the insider added. “She talks to Drake as much as she can, and she sends him care packages, so that helps.”

Ella Rose Gaines

Joanna and Chip’s second child came along when Ella arrived in 2006. Out of all of their five children, the loving mom revealed her eldest daughter is most “like” her. “I think she’ll follow in my footsteps and have her hand in a lot of things,” Joanna told People.

The cookbook author said Ella shows an interest in a lot of other things too. “Right now she wants to cook, be a lead designer and have a donut truck,” Jo added.

Not only does Ella enjoy her parents’ favorite hobbies, but she also appears to be skilled in photography. Chip once shared a gorgeous snap of a sunrise with the caption, “Photo: By Ella,” via Instagram.

Duke Gaines

The couple’s third child was born when Joanna gave birth to Duke in 2008. As the second son, the youngster loves hanging out with his dad and brothers. While his older siblings enjoy being on TV, Joanna dished Duke actually prefers to be behind the scenes.

While chatting with People, the coffee shop owner said Duke loves to sell vegetables and eggs with his little sister, Emmie. “We printed labels for them, and once a week they go out and sell,” she explained. “They’re just like Chip: They don’t take no for an answer!”

Emmie Kay Gaines

The youngest girl of the group, Emmie, was born in 2010. Although she’s still young, she hasn’t hesitated to step into her mom and dad’s shoes.

In fact, Joanna shared a rare video of the mother-daughter duo cooking together in their kitchen. Emmie proved she’s quite the talented chef as she joined her mom in making Spinach Tortellini Soup.

The TV personality also dished Emmie loves to bake. “She was determined to make up her own cookie recipe and I left the kitchen so she could surprise me (and so I wouldn’t micromanage her work in the kitchen),” Joanna once wrote on Instagram. “Let’s just say this was one of my favorite cookies I’ve ever tasted!”

In November 2020, Emmie helped her mom record the audiobook version of The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be. The recording process was captured in a sweet Instagram photo where Emmie sat in front of several microphones with her mom. In her caption, Joanna shared that her youngest daughter was “the first to raise her hand” when she asked her children if they wanted to help record the audiobook. 

Crew Gaines

Little Crew is the youngest of the … well, crew. Born in June 2018, Crew has already become a fixture on his parents’ social media accounts, as they make sure to show their fans plenty of photos of him.

“He’s my little sidekick,” Joanna told People of her little bundle of joy. “He comes to work with me every day and goes to all my meetings.”

The mom of five is so confident in her youngest child, she even joked, “I always tell Chip, ‘This boy is going to be able to run the company by age 5!'”

Crew made an appearance on his mom’s show Magnolia Table on Magnolia Network in November 2021. He helped stir up some ingredients before deciding to go hang out with his dad. The adorable tot also inherited a love for gardening from his mom. The Kansas native is always sharing videos of Crew picking fresh produce out in the garden. 

In August 2023, Joanna revealed that Crew had a new hobby. “When he wants to go fishing but it’s 105 degrees outside,” she captioned a video of her youngest child playing with a fishing pole in his bedroom.

Inside Chip and Joanna’s Parenting

There’s no denying the Magnolia owners have dedicated a ton of time to their TV gigs and other business endeavors, but there was never a shortage of love when it came to their roles as dad and mom. “Being good parents is Chip and Joanna’s first priority,” an insider exclusively told Closer in April 2019.

“It’s about quality time together,” the source added. “They always eat meals together at the table and their family nights include games like cards and checkers, then bedtime stories and prayers. Everyone says they have the perfect life.”

As far as parenting goes, Joanna definitely knows how to have fun with her kiddos. However, the insider dished she has rules, which include “homework first, then play,” “no computers after 6 p.m.” and “no cell phones or TV” at certain times of the day. “In the evening, the kids kick back by reading each other stories,” the source added.

During an appearance on Today in July 2021, Joanna opened up about the reason the couple is so hesitant when it comes to giving their children screen time. “They’re developing, they’re growing … and as they’re growing at 14, 15, 16, I don’t want [them constantly checking their phones] to be [a] part of who they become, you know?” she told host Hoda Kotb.

In order to help their kids develop a healthy relationship with social media and technology, she and Chip have a “house rule” that “all the phones go in one spot” whenever their family is home. “So if you want to check a text, if you want to check an email, you go to that spot, but it’s not on your bodies,” she explained. “We want to teach our kids that life happens outside of these devices.”

Spending time with their family has always remained Chip and Joanna’s biggest priority. In a February 2022 interview with Closer, the couple explained how they raise their children with good values. 

“It’s in how intentional we are about reinforcing goodness within our home, nurturing our values as a family over and over again until it takes,” Chip said at the time. 

The dad of five is proud of everything his children have accomplished and the life lessons they’ve continued to absorb from their parents while growing up. 

“I’ve witnessed how the way we treat one another under our own roof becomes the standard by which we measure every other encounter when we step out into the world,” he added. 

Joanna echoed the same sentiment, sharing that the three things that matter the most to her are “my family, my friendships and the work that grounds us.”