diff --git a/src/ffi/schema.rs b/src/ffi/schema.rs
index 5e6cc4180cc..143a2f477ec 100644
--- a/src/ffi/schema.rs
+++ b/src/ffi/schema.rs
@@ -37,6 +37,25 @@ unsafe extern "C" fn c_release_schema(schema: *mut ArrowSchema) {
     schema.release = None;
 }
 
+/// allocate (and hold) the children
+fn schema_children(data_type: &DataType, flags: &mut i64) -> Box<[*mut ArrowSchema]> {
+    match data_type {
+        DataType::List(field) | DataType::FixedSizeList(field, _) | DataType::LargeList(field) => {
+            Box::new([Box::into_raw(Box::new(ArrowSchema::new(field.as_ref())))])
+        }
+        DataType::Map(field, is_sorted) => {
+            *flags += (*is_sorted as i64) * 4;
+            Box::new([Box::into_raw(Box::new(ArrowSchema::new(field.as_ref())))])
+        }
+        DataType::Struct(fields) | DataType::Union(fields, _, _) => fields
+            .iter()
+            .map(|field| Box::into_raw(Box::new(ArrowSchema::new(field))))
+            .collect::<Box<[_]>>(),
+        DataType::Extension(_, inner, _) => schema_children(inner, flags),
+        _ => Box::new([]),
+    }
+}
+
 impl ArrowSchema {
     /// creates a new [ArrowSchema]
     pub(crate) fn new(field: &Field) -> Self {
@@ -45,36 +64,8 @@ impl ArrowSchema {
 
         let mut flags = field.is_nullable as i64 * 2;
 
-        // allocate (and hold) the children
-        let children_vec = match field.data_type() {
-            DataType::List(field) => {
-                vec![Box::new(ArrowSchema::new(field.as_ref()))]
-            }
-            DataType::FixedSizeList(field, _) => {
-                vec![Box::new(ArrowSchema::new(field.as_ref()))]
-            }
-            DataType::LargeList(field) => {
-                vec![Box::new(ArrowSchema::new(field.as_ref()))]
-            }
-            DataType::Map(field, is_sorted) => {
-                flags += (*is_sorted as i64) * 4;
-                vec![Box::new(ArrowSchema::new(field.as_ref()))]
-            }
-            DataType::Struct(fields) => fields
-                .iter()
-                .map(|field| Box::new(ArrowSchema::new(field)))
-                .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
-            DataType::Union(fields, _, _) => fields
-                .iter()
-                .map(|field| Box::new(ArrowSchema::new(field)))
-                .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
-            _ => vec![],
-        };
         // note: this cannot be done along with the above because the above is fallible and this op leaks.
-        let children_ptr = children_vec
-            .into_iter()
-            .map(Box::into_raw)
-            .collect::<Box<_>>();
+        let children_ptr = schema_children(field.data_type(), &mut flags);
         let n_children = children_ptr.len() as i64;
 
         let dictionary = if let DataType::Dictionary(_, values, is_ordered) = field.data_type() {
@@ -480,6 +471,7 @@ pub(super) fn get_child(data_type: &DataType, index: usize) -> Result<DataType>
         (0, DataType::Map(field, _)) => Ok(field.data_type().clone()),
         (index, DataType::Struct(fields)) => Ok(fields[index].data_type().clone()),
         (index, DataType::Union(fields, _, _)) => Ok(fields[index].data_type().clone()),
+        (index, DataType::Extension(_, subtype, _)) => get_child(subtype, index),
         (child, data_type) => Err(Error::OutOfSpec(format!(
             "Requested child {} to type {:?} that has no such child",
             child, data_type
diff --git a/tests/it/ffi/data.rs b/tests/it/ffi/data.rs
index 1f8606aee8c..bc87eda68c8 100644
--- a/tests/it/ffi/data.rs
+++ b/tests/it/ffi/data.rs
@@ -346,3 +346,21 @@ fn extension() -> Result<()> {
     );
     test_round_trip_schema(field)
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn extension_children() -> Result<()> {
+    let field = Field::new(
+        "a",
+        DataType::Extension(
+            "b".to_string(),
+            Box::new(DataType::Struct(vec![Field::new(
+                "c",
+                DataType::Int32,
+                true,
+            )])),
+            None,
+        ),
+        true,
+    );
+    test_round_trip_schema(field)
+}