A child can be either a primary or a contingent beneficiary. It is very common to list a spouse as the primary beneficiary and children as contingent beneficiaries. However, if the child is a minor, a guardian will need to be appointed to manage the asset, at least until the child reaches the age of majority. You could also extend the guardian's management to a later age, for example, until the child graduates from college, or until the occurrence of another event you specify.