Ultimate Stress Buster: Colouring Books

Wherever we can find ourselves some alternative therapy, we’ll take it. Whether it’s a walk in the park, an evening spent knitting, a chin-wag with pals or a big glass of wine, there are many ways to relieve stress and restore our internal equilibrium.

Another alternative therapy you might not have considered is colouring books. No longer the reserve of toddlers and pre-teens, sales are recently up 300% (from Christmas ’13 to Christmas ’14) as adults invest in colouring books as a lovely way to unwind. This trend found its legs in France, according to children’s buyer Melissa Cox of Waterstones:

“Colouring books are selling better than ever, which initially surprised us when you think about all the games and toys children have. But they’re doing really well at the moment, and we realised adults have started to buy them for themselves…?It’s a trend that started in France and has been very popular with French women. It’s a relaxing thing to do, especially when you’re on the phone a lot. People say it’s proven to help you relax.”

In conversation with The Telegraph, Cox added that buyers were now looking for more challenging and intricate designs in which to colour.

Now, aren’t you glad you never threw away those crayons? Here’s a collection of celebrity colouring books that we’re dying to get our hands on…

@CarolineForan