diff --git a/ampersand-state.js b/ampersand-state.js
index 79a742e..7b190f9 100644
--- a/ampersand-state.js
+++ b/ampersand-state.js
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ function Base(attrs, options) {
     this.cid || (this.cid = _.uniqueId('state'));
     this._events = {};
     this._values = {};
+    this._childInstances = {};
+    this._collectionInstances = {};
     this._definition = Object.create(this._definition);
     if (options.parse) attrs = this.parse(attrs, options);
     this.parent = options.parent;
@@ -431,7 +433,7 @@ _.extend(Base.prototype, BBEvents, {
         var coll;
         if (!this._collections) return;
         for (coll in this._collections) {
-            this[coll] = new this._collections[coll](null, {parent: this});
+            this._collectionInstances[coll] = new this._collections[coll](null, {parent: this});
         }
     },
 
@@ -439,8 +441,8 @@ _.extend(Base.prototype, BBEvents, {
         var child;
         if (!this._children) return;
         for (child in this._children) {
-            this[child] = new this._children[child]({}, {parent: this});
-            this.listenTo(this[child], 'all', this._getEventBubblingHandler(child));
+            this._childInstances[child] = new this._children[child]({}, {parent: this});
+            this.listenTo(this._childInstances[child], 'all', this._getEventBubblingHandler(child));
         }
     },
 
@@ -578,6 +580,30 @@ function createDerivedProperty(modelProto, name, definition) {
     });
 }
 
+// helper for creating appropriate getters/setters for collections
+function createCollectionProperty(object, name) {
+    Object.defineProperty(object, name, {
+        set: function (val) {
+            this.set(name, val);
+        },
+        get: function () {
+            return this._collectionInstances[name];
+        }
+    });
+}
+
+// helper for creating appropriate getters/setters for children
+function createChildProperty(object, name) {
+    Object.defineProperty(object, name, {
+        set: function (val) {
+            this.set(name, val);
+        },
+        get: function () {
+            return this._childInstances[name];
+        }
+    });
+}
+
 var dataTypes = {
     string: {
         default: function () {
@@ -748,11 +774,13 @@ function extend(protoProps) {
             if (def.collections) {
                 _.each(def.collections, function (constructor, name) {
                     child.prototype._collections[name] = constructor;
+                    createCollectionProperty(child.prototype, name);
                 });
             }
             if (def.children) {
                 _.each(def.children, function (constructor, name) {
                     child.prototype._children[name] = constructor;
+                    createChildProperty(child.prototype, name);
                 });
             }
             _.extend(child.prototype, _.omit(def, omitFromExtend));
diff --git a/test/full.js b/test/full.js
index e6eaab2..3a07d1d 100644
--- a/test/full.js
+++ b/test/full.js
@@ -1096,6 +1096,97 @@ test('Should be able to declare derived properties that have nested deps', funct
     first.child.grandChild.name = 'something';
 });
 
+test('collections will update data when set by assignment', function (t) {
+    var Child = State.extend({
+        props: {
+            id: 'string'
+        },
+        collections: {
+            nicknames: Collection
+        }
+    });
+
+    var StateObj = State.extend({
+        props: {
+            id: 'string'
+        },
+        children: {
+            child: Child
+        }
+    });
+
+    var data = {
+        id: 'parent',
+        child: {
+            id: 'child',
+            nicknames: [
+                {name: 'munchkin'},
+                {name: 'kiddo'}
+            ]
+        }
+    };
+
+    var obj = new StateObj(data);
+
+    var originalCollection = obj.child.nicknames;
+
+    // assigning array to collection should call through to .set
+    obj.child.nicknames = [{name: 'runt'}, {name: 'tot'}];
+    t.ok(obj.child.nicknames instanceof Collection, 'and should still be instanceof');
+    t.equal(obj.child.nicknames, originalCollection, 'and should be the same instance');
+    t.equal(obj.child.nicknames.length, 4, 'and the collection should have been updated');
+
+    t.end();
+});
+
+test('children will update data when set by assignment', function (t) {
+    var Child = State.extend({
+        props: {
+            id: 'string'
+        }
+    });
+
+    var StateObj = State.extend({
+        props: {
+            id: 'string'
+        },
+        children: {
+            child: Child
+        }
+    });
+
+    var data = {
+        id: 'parent',
+        child: {
+            id: 'child',
+            grandChild: {
+                id: 'grandChild',
+                nicknames: [
+                    {name: 'munchkin'},
+                    {name: 'kiddo'}
+                ]
+            }
+        }
+    };
+
+    var obj = new StateObj(data);
+
+    var originalChild = obj.child;
+
+    // assigning object to child should call through to .set
+    obj.child = {
+        id: 'bar',
+        grandChild: {
+            nicknames: [{name: 'runt'}]
+        }
+    };
+    t.ok(obj.child instanceof Child, 'and should still be instanceof');
+    t.equal(obj.child, originalChild, 'and should be the same instance');
+    t.equal(obj.child.id, 'bar', 'and the change should have been applied');
+
+    t.end();
+});
+
 test('`state` properties', function (t) {
     var Person = State.extend({
         props: {