How to do Child's Pose
- Kneel on your mat with your big toes touching and your knees about hip-width apart, or wider for more space.
- Sit your hips back toward your heels.
- Breathe out and fold forward, laying your chest between or on top of your thighs.
- Rest your forehead on the mat, a block or a folded blanket.
- Stretch your arms forward with palms down, or rest them beside your body with palms up.
- Breathe slowly into your back for 5 to 10 breaths, or as long as feels good.
Benefits
- Gently stretches the lower back, hips, thighs and ankles
- Encourages slow, calm breathing
- Gives you a rest between more active poses
- Can ease tension in the neck and shoulders when the head is supported
Common mistakes and how to fix them
Hips lifting high off the heels
Fix: Widen your knees or place a cushion between your hips and heels so you can relax down.
Forehead hovering, neck straining
Fix: Put a block or folded blanket under your forehead so your neck can fully relax.
Shoulders hunched toward the ears
Fix: Soften your elbows and let your shoulder blades slide down your back.
Holding the breath
Fix: Breathe slowly and feel your back widen as you inhale.
Easier and harder variations
- Wide-knee Child's Pose: knees wide, big toes touching, for more space for the belly.
- Arms back: rest the arms by your sides to relax the shoulders.
- Supported: place a bolster or pillows lengthwise under your chest.
Safety
Skip or modify this pose if you have a knee injury, and keep the knees wide if you are pregnant. Stop if you feel pain in the knees or ankles. This guide is general information, not medical advice.