Colouring books can be a brilliant way of releasing stress and calming people down- as well as being enjoyable.

One of the reasons Adult Colouring Books have been such a big hit over the last few years, is their therapeutic benefits.

I was therefore excited to discover the Angry Octopus Colouring book by Lori Lite (Stress Free Kids).

As a tutor for children with Special Educational Needs (www.cheshiresentutor.com) and a mum- I could see the benefits of the book with the children I’ve worked with, as well as my own.

Not only is it a beautifully illustrated colouring book for children in it’s own right, but it’s packed full of useful tips to help children manage their stress and emotions.

I can envisage so many uses for this book. Particularly in schools- as an activity for a child to do to calm down if they have had a problem in lessons or during break time.

What did I like about it? 

• The illustrations are detailed– therefore there is plenty of colouring to do. This gives children the time they need to calm down and process their emotions.

• The tips/quotes are insightful and useful. They include tips such as how to physically relax your body, what different feelings they might have and how to breathe to relax one’s self.

• The book is adaptable to many age groups and abilities- it could be used simply as a colouring book, or the teacher/parent could read the tips to the child as the child colours, or the child could independently read the tips and colour in.

• It includes beautifully written poetry- The tips and advice on managing emotions written in the colouring book are beautifully written as poetry, which further engages children.