[lord2kim]

LeD4eG,

<div id="block">
   <span>bla</span>
   <span>bla</span>
   <span>bla</span>
</div>
<script>
  var childs = document.getElementById('block').children, //childNodes
       counter = 0; //количество не текстовых узлов
  for(var i = 0; i<childs.length; i++){
    //var mythis = childs[i];
    (childs[i]==3)? "" : ++counter;
  }
alert(counter+"\n"+childs.length);
</script>