Adults
Squatting on the toilet, BBC Medical Matters
Picking litter

I cannot stress the mental and physical health benefits of regular litterpicking enough.
- Opportunity to move, putting your small corrective exercises into practice: walking, carrying, reaching, gripping, lifting, hip hinging, squatting, looking left, right, up, down and around with head slid back and up and ribcage relaxed down.
- Opportunity to spend time outdoors, getting vitamin D, away from screens!
- Making the world a better place: reducing wild animals’ exposure to plastics and toxins, giving wild flowers a chance to grow, making the environment more pleasant for walkers and cyclists and for yourself to enjoy!
- Recycling the cleaner tins, bottles and plastic wrapping, which helps the environment
- Connecting with other people: appreciative drivers, walkers and cyclists as well as other fellow litter pickers (if you set up a group), building a sense of community, support and friendship. Sharing a sense of purpose with your neighbours, setting a good example, encouraging other people to do the same (sense of normal behaviour) and hopefully deterring litterers!
When bending forward to pick litter, I suggest doing it this way:
- Make your feet point a little more forward, pelvis-width apart
- Keep your weight in your heels and shift your bum back (keep your shins as vertical as possible for you)
- Hinge at the hip to pick (Lego man style), bending your legs as much as your hamstrings require (or drop into a squat). Instead of rounding your upper back or lower back
- Keep your spine relaxed (like a hammock)
- Keep your chin nearer your throat
- Keep your ribcage relaxed down (in alignment with pelvis, to the best of your ability)
Children
Daily movement challenges
Ideas for using (and therefore strengthening) your arms more in daily life: throwing your coat to hang it and carrying your washing on your head (using arm and core strength - if your ribs are down)
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Ideas for using (and therefore strengthening) your arms more in daily life:
Putting socks on standing on one leg
Putting socks on standing on one leg
- Try and keep your leg straight (avoid letting your knee out to the side).
- Try and keep your pelvis untucked, to the best of your ability!
Putting socks on lying down
- Try and keep your pelvis untucked, as best you can
- Use your core more than your neck muscles, by gently tucking your ribcage in towards your spine
- Do your best! And have a laugh too.
Moving while relaxing - many options!
Just as cushioned shoes restrict movement in our feet, and soft mattresses and squishy couches restrict movement in our back, waist, neck, hips and knees, SCREENS restrict movement in our eyes, neck, waist as well as shoulders, arms and hands (if using a keyboard).

Please find some suggested solutions below. Let me know if you have any other strategies of your own!

Blog post: Impact of screens on our health
Favourite books to help children connect to nature
The Lost Words Challenge cards
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Books for grown-ups |
Deep Country is great for sending you to sleep. Very relaxing.