This research aims to gain a deep understanding of children’s perspective on poverty as well as their everyday experience living in a poor household in an urban area. The analysis in this study is mainly based on the qualitative study conducted in six kelurahan (urban villages) in three cities: North Jakarta, Makassar and Surakarta. This study emphasizes grounded participatory research principle with children as the primary participants. During a series of individual and group interviews, focused group discussions, and storytelling and drawing activities with children aged 6–17 years old, children expressed how they perceive poverty, well-being, and everyday life struggle, and what expectations they have for the problems they encounter as well as how they adapt to and cope with them.