Steps
- Kneel, then sit the hips back toward the heels.
- Fold forward. Forehead rests on the mat, a fist, or a block.
- Arms can reach forward or stack beside the feet.
- Breathe into the back of the ribs. Stay as long as it feels restful.
What this pose may help with
These lines describe why people practice the shape. A pose may help with ordinary stiffness or with settling your attention. They are not claims that the pose treats or cures a condition.
- A resting shape between stronger poses.
- Often feels calming when the forehead is supported.
- A place to notice the breath without performing.
Common mistakes
- Forcing the hips to the heels when the knees or ankles complain.
- Holding the breath.
- Staying in the pose because you think you should, even when it is not restful.
Modifications
- Widen the knees and let the belly rest between the thighs.
- A blanket behind the knees, or the chest on a bolster, if the fold is too much.
Safety
- Knee injuries: try a supported version with a blanket, or lie on your back instead.
- Late pregnancy: knees wide, or choose a side-lying rest.
- If the pose makes you feel closed-in or anxious, sit up. Rest does not have to look like this.
If you are pregnant, injured, or dealing with back pain, consult a doctor before you follow this page. Stop for sharp pain, numbness, dizziness, or chest pain. This is movement education, not a diagnosis or a treatment. Read the medical disclaimer.
Child’s Pose (Balasana, said bah-LAHS-uh-nuh) is listed here as a Beginner Kneeling pose. The body area it emphasizes is Back. A rest with the hips toward the heels and the forehead down. Knees can be together or wide.
Read the steps in order. Set the pose up before you try to deepen it. The first mistake called out on this page is: Forcing the hips to the heels when the knees or ankles complain. That line is there because the usual error is doing too much, not because a tighter shape is a better practice. The modifications keep the same idea when the full shape does not fit today. Use them on purpose. They are part of the pose, not a demotion.
People practice Child’s Pose for a plain reason: A resting shape between stronger poses. That “may help” is a description of why the shape is in a beginner library. It is not a claim that the pose treats, cures, or prevents a condition. Knee injuries: try a supported version with a blanket, or lie on your back instead.
If you are pregnant, returning from an injury, or your back has been painful, consult a doctor before you practice Child’s Pose. A safety note on a website is education. It is not clearance. Sharp pain, numbness, dizziness, or pain that runs down a leg is a reason to stop and get care, not a reason to hold the shape longer. The medical disclaimer on this site says the same thing in more detail.
When you are done, come out slowly. One calm repetition you can repeat tomorrow is the point of the page. Pair Child’s Pose with a short routine from this site if you want a sequence, and keep the timer as a guide you are allowed to pause.