How to separate date and time using php from date time string?

Question

How to convert this string

$parent = "2011-08-04 15:00:01";

to separate it into two strings:

$child1= "2011-08-04";
$child2 = "12:00:01";

And then convert

$child1 to this format 8.4.2011 

and

$child2 to this format 15:00

Answer 1

$time = new DateTime("2011-08-04 15:00:01");
$date = $time->format('n.j.Y');
$time = $time->format('H:i');

Answer 2

$parent = '2011-08-04 15:00:01';

$timestamp = strtotime($parent);

$child1 = date('n.j.Y', $timestamp); // d.m.YYYY
$child2 = date('H:i', $timestamp); // HH:ss