- Definition
Downward dog is a yoga position where you place your hands and feet on the ground, lifting your hips towards the ceiling to form an inverted "V" shape with your body. It helps stretch your back and legs.
From a hands-and-knees position, you lift your knees off the floor and push your hips up and back to form an upside-down V shape.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Downward dog is like the big stretch a dog does when it first gets up, making its body into an upside-down V.
Ask your child: When you make this shape, where do you feel the biggest stretch?
Common mix-up: Kids might think this is just about getting their legs straight. The goal is to lengthen the spine by pushing the floor away with your hands and sending your hips up and back.
Examples
- Keeping your knees bent at first can help you focus on making your back long and straight.
- You can 'walk the dog' by bending one knee and then the other to gently stretch the backs of your legs.
downward dog pose is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
