diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index a3d3a2ab63e51..b6d8eb11a7c84 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -4129,6 +4129,18 @@ description = "Demonstrates picking debug overlay"
 category = "Picking"
 wasm = true
 
+[[example]]
+name = "parent_picking"
+path = "examples/picking/parent_picking.rs"
+doc-scrape-examples = true
+required-features = ["bevy_mesh_picking_backend"]
+
+[package.metadata.example.parent_picking]
+name = "Parent Picking"
+description = "Demonstrates parent picking meshes"
+category = "Picking"
+wasm = true
+
 [[example]]
 name = "animation_masks"
 path = "examples/animation/animation_masks.rs"
diff --git a/crates/bevy_picking/src/events.rs b/crates/bevy_picking/src/events.rs
index 29405099f66ad..6574cf47bdd12 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_picking/src/events.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_picking/src/events.rs
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ use crate::{
 #[reflect(Component, Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct Pointer<E: Debug + Clone + Reflect> {
     /// The original target of this picking event, before bubbling
-    pub target: Entity,
+    pub original_target: Entity,
     /// The pointer that triggered this event
     pub pointer_id: PointerId,
     /// The location of the pointer during this event
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ impl<E: Debug + Clone + Reflect> Pointer<E> {
     /// Construct a new `Pointer<E>` event.
     pub fn new(id: PointerId, location: Location, target: Entity, event: E) -> Self {
         Self {
-            target,
+            original_target: target,
             pointer_id: id,
             pointer_location: location,
             event,
diff --git a/examples/README.md b/examples/README.md
index 060683f96d891..e431b349e2ba2 100644
--- a/examples/README.md
+++ b/examples/README.md
@@ -409,6 +409,7 @@ Example | Description
 Example | Description
 --- | ---
 [Mesh Picking](../examples/picking/mesh_picking.rs) | Demonstrates picking meshes
+[Parent Picking](../examples/picking/parent_picking.rs) | Demonstrates parent picking meshes
 [Picking Debug Tools](../examples/picking/debug_picking.rs) | Demonstrates picking debug overlay
 [Showcases simple picking events and usage](../examples/picking/simple_picking.rs) | Demonstrates how to use picking events to spawn simple objects
 [Sprite Picking](../examples/picking/sprite_picking.rs) | Demonstrates picking sprites and sprite atlases
diff --git a/examples/ecs/error_handling.rs b/examples/ecs/error_handling.rs
index d326d7d4aae81..8359d392a5b34 100644
--- a/examples/ecs/error_handling.rs
+++ b/examples/ecs/error_handling.rs
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ fn fallible_observer(
     mut step: Local<f32>,
 ) -> Result {
     let mut transform = world
-        .get_mut::<Transform>(trigger.target)
+        .get_mut::<Transform>(trigger.target())
         .ok_or("No transform found.")?;
 
     *step = if transform.translation.x > 3. {
diff --git a/examples/picking/parent_picking.rs b/examples/picking/parent_picking.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..0158f0198fd4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/picking/parent_picking.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+//! A simple 3D scene to demonstrate parent picking.
+//!
+//! Entity hierarchies can be built using a [`ChildOf`] component.  By observing for
+//! [`Trigger<Pointer<E>>`] events on the parent entity, picking events can be collected
+//! for the entire tree, giving both the leaf and root nodes selected.
+
+use bevy::prelude::*;
+
+fn main() {
+    App::new()
+        .add_plugins(DefaultPlugins)
+        .add_plugins(MeshPickingPlugin)
+        .add_systems(Startup, setup)
+        .add_systems(PreUpdate, close_on_esc)
+        .run();
+}
+
+/// set up a simple 3D scene
+fn setup(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    mut meshes: ResMut<Assets<Mesh>>,
+    mut materials: ResMut<Assets<StandardMaterial>>,
+) {
+    let parent_id = commands
+        .spawn((
+            Name::new("Parent"),
+            Transform::IDENTITY,
+            Visibility::Visible,
+        ))
+        .observe(on_pointer_over_debug)
+        .id();
+
+    // circular base
+    commands.spawn((
+        Name::new("Base"),
+        Mesh3d(meshes.add(Circle::new(4.0))),
+        MeshMaterial3d(materials.add(Color::WHITE)),
+        Transform::from_rotation(Quat::from_rotation_x(-std::f32::consts::FRAC_PI_2)),
+        ChildOf(parent_id),
+    ));
+
+    // cube
+    commands.spawn((
+        Name::new("Cube"),
+        Mesh3d(meshes.add(Cuboid::new(1.0, 1.0, 1.0))),
+        MeshMaterial3d(materials.add(Color::srgb_u8(124, 144, 255))),
+        Transform::from_xyz(0.0, 0.5, 0.0),
+        ChildOf(parent_id),
+    ));
+
+    // light
+    commands.spawn((
+        PointLight {
+            shadows_enabled: true,
+            ..default()
+        },
+        Transform::from_xyz(4.0, 8.0, 4.0),
+    ));
+
+    // camera
+    commands.spawn((
+        Camera3d::default(),
+        Transform::from_xyz(-2.5, 4.5, 9.0).looking_at(Vec3::ZERO, Vec3::Y),
+    ));
+}
+
+fn on_pointer_over_debug(trigger: Trigger<Pointer<Over>>, query: Query<&Name>) {
+    if let Ok(name) = query.get(trigger.target()) {
+        println!("root = trigger.target() = {:?}", name);
+    }
+
+    // NOTE: trigger.original_target = trigger.event().original_target
+    // this is due to [`impl Deref for Pointer`]
+    if let Ok(name) = query.get(trigger.original_target) {
+        println!("leaf = trigger.original_target = {:?}", name);
+    }
+}
+
+fn close_on_esc(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    focused_windows: Query<(Entity, &Window)>,
+    input: Res<ButtonInput<KeyCode>>,
+) {
+    for (window, focus) in focused_windows.iter() {
+        if !focus.focused {
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        if input.just_pressed(KeyCode::Escape) {
+            commands.entity(window).despawn();
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/examples/ui/directional_navigation.rs b/examples/ui/directional_navigation.rs
index b6f4a0d0514e0..f98f478ce0125 100644
--- a/examples/ui/directional_navigation.rs
+++ b/examples/ui/directional_navigation.rs
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ fn interact_with_focused_button(
         if let Some(focused_entity) = input_focus.0 {
             commands.trigger_targets(
                 Pointer::<Click> {
-                    target: focused_entity,
+                    original_target: focused_entity,
                     // We're pretending that we're a mouse
                     pointer_id: PointerId::Mouse,
                     // This field isn't used, so we're just setting it to a placeholder value
diff --git a/release-content/migration-guides/parent_picking.md b/release-content/migration-guides/parent_picking.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..1ec19bd2a65cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release-content/migration-guides/parent_picking.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+title: Parent Picking
+pull_requests: [18982]
+---
+
+`target` on `Trigger<Pointer<E>>` has been renamed to `original_target`.
+
+Previously `.target()` and `.target` would refer to two separate entities, the root and the leaf of the entity hierarchy.
+
+See `examples/picking/parent_picking.rs` for a demonstration of this.