$('li#kids a').children().andSelf().contents().each(function() {
    if (this.nodeType == 3) {
        $(this).replaceWith($(this).text().replace(/(\w)/g, "<span id='ch_text'>$&</span>"));
    }
  });

  $('span#ch_text').each(function(i) {
      i = i+1;
      $(this).addClass('char' + i);
  });