Title: Adding a new widget area
Last modified: August 21, 2016

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# Adding a new widget area

 *  [wildvolets](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wildvolets/)
 * (@wildvolets)
 * [12 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-a-new-widget-area/)
 * Hi, first of all great theme! I love it.
    I am trying to add a new widget area
   just under the navigation menu. I want it to be a horizontal row of post thumbnails
   for quick visual impact. There are widgets to do that but it seems I can only
   add widgets to the sidebar?? I think I need to add a new widget area to the header?
   Does anyone know how to do that?
 * I’m pretty new at this but really want to figure this out.
    Thanks for any help!
   Denise

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

 *  [salsaturation](https://wordpress.org/support/users/salsaturation/)
 * (@salsaturation)
 * [12 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-a-new-widget-area/#post-4618606)
 * [@wildvolets](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wildvolets/)
 * Firstly you should create a [child_theme](http://codex.wordpress.org/child_theme)–
   and copy over header.php and create a blank functions.php
 * Add the following to functions.php
 *     ```
       <?php
       // Custom widget area.
        register_sidebar( array(
           'name' => __( 'Custom Widget Area'),
           'id' => 'custom-widget-area',
           'description' => __( 'An optional custom widget area for your site', 'twentyten' ),
           'before_widget' => '<li id="%1$s" class="widget-container %2$s">',
           'after_widget' => "</li>",
           'before_title' => '<h3 class="widget-title">',
           'after_title' => '</h3>',
       ) );
       ```
   
 * then in header.php find
    `</header><!-- #masthead .site-header -->`
 * and add the following code after it
 *     ```
       <?php
             if ( !function_exists('dynamic_sidebar') || !dynamic_sidebar('Custom Widget Area') ) : ?>
       <?php endif; ?>
       ```
   
 *  Theme Author [Christine Rondeau](https://wordpress.org/support/users/crondeau/)
 * (@crondeau)
 * [12 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-a-new-widget-area/#post-4618620)
 * Hi Denise,
 * Yes, you can add extra widget areas.
    The first thing you will want to do is 
   make a child theme and then read the info on the codex – [http://codex.wordpress.org/Widgetizing_Themes](http://codex.wordpress.org/Widgetizing_Themes)
 * I found this thread on the support forum. Someone wanted to do the same thing,
   but with Twenty Ten
    [http://wordpress.org/support/topic/twentyten-child-theme-adding-widget-areas-via-cgilds-functionsphp?replies=5](http://wordpress.org/support/topic/twentyten-child-theme-adding-widget-areas-via-cgilds-functionsphp?replies=5)
 * Here is also a tutorial, you may find useful:
    [http://digwp.com/2010/02/how-to-widgetize-wordpress-theme/](http://digwp.com/2010/02/how-to-widgetize-wordpress-theme/)
 * Let me know if you run into any issues or if you need more help.
 *  Thread Starter [wildvolets](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wildvolets/)
 * (@wildvolets)
 * [12 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-a-new-widget-area/#post-4618653)
 * Thanks so much!

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

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 * 3 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [wildvolets](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wildvolets/)
 * Last activity: [12 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-a-new-widget-area/#post-4618653)
 * Status: not resolved