Objectives: to determine the occurrences of bacterial colonization of atopic dermatitis in children of Qassim region in Saudi Arabian Methods. In a hospital-based study we collected 2 swabs, one from lesional skin and the other from a healthy skin area as healthy control from 80 children with atopic dermatitis. Isolation and identification were done by colony morphology, Gram stain and the automated Vitek System. The majority of children were below 5 years of age. Results: The mean age was 1.4 with a SD of 0.74. Bacterial colonies were grown from all patients in lesion and non-lesional skin with more species in lesional skin. Gram positive cocci, bacilli and mixed colonies were grown. S. aureus, S. hemolyticus, S. auricularis, S. warnerii, S. simulans, S. scurii, S. capitis, S. xylosus, S. cohnii and S. hominis were more in the lesion whereas S. epidermidis was found to be more in nonlesional skin. Enterococci, commonly Ent. Faecalis, Ent. Faecium and Ent. gallinarium were isolated mostly from lesions. Other less common isolates were Corynebactericae as C. xerosis and C. minutissimum. Conclusions: Bacterial colonization is more frequent in atopic dermatitis than in normal skin. Staphylococcal species predominate. Streptococci, Corynebactericae and Enterococci are significant inhabitant of atopic dermatitis.