My name is Krisztina Szabó. I started doing yoga in 2004. My first teacher was Erika Örlős, but I also owe a lot to my later teachers: Najo József Nagy, Rob Rónai, Éva Jurás, Timi Schrick and Andrea Tallos. In 2013-14, I completed the Ashram Yoga Center’s one-year yoga instructor course. Our two excellent teachers were Zoltán Kádár and József Papp. In 2022, I completed the basic children’s yoga training at Marian Csíki. I owe a debt of gratitude to all my yoga teachers whom I have met during my practice so far, because they have contributed to keeping me on the path where I am now.

I have always believed that in order to be able to live a quality life, we need to take care of our physique on a daily basis, one aspect of which is that exercise and sports should be part of our daily life. Everything develops only if we pay attention to it, that is, in this case we deal with our body, which has a huge impact on our state of mind and our thinking. The two cannot be separated from each other.

What can we do on a daily basis to maintain ourselves and our entire system? For example, we can do the very simple thing of walking. For this, it is advisable to set the pedometer on our phone, because it can be quite a good motivation. But it is also worth trying, when it is possible, to get off the bus earlier, or to stop further away by car and walk the remaining distance to the destination. Or we don’t always use the elevator at work, but look where the stairwell is and take the stairs. Such seemingly small things can bring significant positive changes in a very short time.

The next step could be to find a form of exercise that motivates us enough to devote time to it several times a week. For example, we go to yoga 1-2 times a week, and at home we set aside 10-15 minutes for a little practice in the morning and/or evening. This way, our day will start better or our sleep will be more restful. If we lay these foundations in childhood and acquire such an approach, we can help children to be more balanced and healthy not only in their first years, but also later, as adults.

My qualifications:

• Children’s sensorimotor posture improvement and movement development trainer
• Children’s yoga instructor
• Yoga instructor
• Teacher assistant
• Economist with a degree in law

What happens at a children’s yoga class? What is the structure of a children’s yoga class?

We are born to move! And we learn everything through movement throughout our lives.To put it very simply and briefly, children’s yoga is a combination of movement, play and fairy-tale elements. Perhaps surprisingly, yoga is not the point. Practically, complex movement development takes place in the classes, where there is an opportunity for movement development, play and spiritual recharge at the same time.It is very important that there is no competition in children’s yoga. We measure everyone by themselves and accept where the child’s limits are on a given day or in terms of his/her abilities in terms of completing tasks and carrying out exercises.The child must not feel pain during the individual yoga poses or during any activity during the yoga class, or in case of any discomfort, it is possible to get into one of the resting poses.As an effect of children’s yoga, we also have a positive effect on behavior and learning in kindergarten and school, by learning to breathe correctly, recognize and manage emotions, strengthen the muscles for correct posture, improve the ability to concentrate and recharge through movement and shared experience.

Structure of children’s yoga sessions

Children’s yoga begins with an attunement by which everyone arrivesto class, letting go of all other daily tasks and happenings.Then the warm-up serves to move the spine primarily.This is followed by big movements and yoga exercises. It always isat least one set of exercises.This is followed by a short relaxation of a few minutes.After being led back from relaxation, it’s game time.Finally, farewell (homework, reward).However, it is important to see and feel what the children need that day, and it may be that the daily lesson plan becomes redundant. We accept this and flexibly carry out a class that works that day.

Who do I recommend children’s yoga to?

Children’s yoga benefits all children. Where there may be some identified problem in relation to movement development or in other fields, those children can also do yoga, of course it is important for the parents to inform the instructor if there is any illness or condition that may be important from the point of view of the yoga class. That is why it is necessary to fill out a short data sheet before the first class, which will reveal these. Here you can watch an interview with me if you are more interested in children’s yoga.