DROP TABLE IF EXISTS t1, child1, child2; CREATE TABLE t1 (a <INT_COLUMN>) ENGINE=<STORAGE_ENGINE> <CUSTOM_TABLE_OPTIONS> UNION(child1); SHOW CREATE TABLE t1; Table Create Table t1 CREATE TABLE `t1` ( `a` int(11) DEFAULT NULL ) ENGINE=<STORAGE_ENGINE> DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1 UNION=(`child1`) ALTER TABLE t1 UNION = (child1,child2); SHOW CREATE TABLE t1; Table Create Table t1 CREATE TABLE `t1` ( `a` int(11) DEFAULT NULL ) ENGINE=<STORAGE_ENGINE> DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1 UNION=(`child1`,`child2`) DROP TABLE t1, child1, child2;