Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
My Texture Rubbing Page: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 2
- ForYear 2
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
My Texture Rubbing Page is a free printable art worksheet for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7). Children put paper over a surface and rub with a crayon to pick up its texture. They then stick or draw their rubbings in the boxes and say what they notice. Page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children make rubbings from surfaces around the home or classroom. A checklist lets them tick off the textures they find, using the words rough, bumpy, smooth and lines or ridges. There are boxes for rubbings, drawings or notes, and lines for writing. Children also tick if they used the side of a crayon, choose the texture they like best and say why. There are no wrong rubbings, so every child can finish with something of their own.
- Rough
- Bumpy
- Smooth
- Lines or ridges
- I used the side of a crayon
- I found a texture I like best
- I can say why I like it
Tips for making a clear rubbing
Choose a flat surface
Look for a surface with a pattern you can feel with your fingers. Flat surfaces with raised lines or bumps work best, because the paper can lie evenly on top.
Hold the paper still
Use one hand to keep the paper in place. If it slides, the picture blurs. A grown-up can tape the corners down for younger or wriggly children.
Use the side of the crayon
Peel the wrapper off and lay the crayon flat. Rub in one direction with even strokes. The side of the crayon covers more space and shows the pattern better than the tip.
Press lightly, then a little harder
Start gently so the texture appears slowly. Press harder if the pattern looks faint. Pressing too hard at the start can tear thin paper.
Why rubbings help children notice texture
Texture is how a surface feels, or how it looks as if it would feel. Children meet it all day, in clothes, food, floors and toys, but they rarely stop to describe it. A rubbing turns a feel into a picture. The raised parts of a surface catch the crayon and show up as marks, so children can see what their fingers would tell them.
Making a rubbing is a real art technique, used by artists as well as children. It also gives children a reason to look closely and compare. When they place two rubbings side by side, they begin to use words such as rough, bumpy and smooth with more care. That builds vocabulary as well as art skills.
Fun facts about texture and rubbings
- Texture means how a surface feels or looks as if it would feel.
- Crayons are made of coloured wax, which sticks to the raised parts of the paper as you rub.
- Making a picture by rubbing over a surface is an art technique called frottage.
- Rubbing over a raised pattern is a way to copy it without drawing every detail.
- Thin paper works better than thick paper for rubbings, because the pattern shows through more easily.
Skills and curriculum link
- Making rubbings
- Describing texture
- Choosing and comparing
- Careful observation
- Using crayons with control
Ideas to help children get started
- Feel before you rubAsk your child to touch the surface first and say what it feels like. This gives them a word to use before they see the rubbing.
- Test a few surfacesTry different surfaces around the room and see which patterns show up most clearly. Some will be fainter than others, and that is fine.
- Say a word aloudSay a describing word out loud before writing it down. Spoken practice makes spelling and sentences easier.
- Compare two rubbingsPlace two rubbings next to each other. Ask which one looks more regular and which one looks more uneven.
Key words
- TextureHow a surface feels, or looks as if it would feel.
- RubbingA picture made by putting paper over a surface and rubbing with a crayon.
- RoughUneven and scratchy to touch.
- BumpyCovered in raised lumps or bumps.
- SmoothFlat and even, with no bumps.
- RidgesRaised lines that stand up from a surface.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2 for the grown-up.
- Give each child plain paper and crayons with the wrappers peeled off. Look around the room together for surfaces to try.
- Work through the first rubbing together. Touch the surface, say a describing word, then rub with the side of the crayon.
- Let your child stick or draw their rubbings in the boxes, tick the checklist and write why they like their favourite.
- Check page 2 together, then come back to the sheet another day with new surfaces. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Work in pairs. Touch the surface first and say a describing word aloud before writing it. Offer a word bank with rough, bumpy and smooth. A grown-up can hold the paper still while the child rubs, so the pattern stays clear.
To stretch confident children
Make a second rubbing on top of the first one in a different colour. Look at how the two textures mix. Describe the new pattern, and say which of the two textures you can still see most clearly.
Make it a game
Texture hunt. A grown-up names a texture, such as bumpy or smooth. Children race to find a surface in the room that matches, then touch it and say why it fits. Take turns to be the caller.
Talk about it
- Which surface did you choose first, and why?
- How would you describe this texture to someone who cannot see it?
- Which of your rubbings is the roughest? Which is the smoothest?
- Did the side of the crayon or the tip work better? What did you notice?
- Where else could you find a pattern like this one?
- Which rubbing do you like best, and what makes it your favourite?
Take it off the page
Texture walk
Take a short walk indoors or outside and touch safe surfaces. Name each texture with a describing word. Pick two to try as rubbings later.
Texture collage
Cut your rubbings into shapes and stick them down to make a picture, such as a house or an animal. Each part can have its own texture.
Feely bag
Put small safe objects in a bag. Take turns to feel one without looking and describe its texture. The others guess what it is.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first rubbing, then let them lead. Let them choose the surfaces. Talk about what they feel and see, and praise careful looking and good describing words, not only neat results.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task or a table activity. It needs only paper, crayons and printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider art plan. It pairs well with a walk, a nature collection or a lesson on describing words. Print it again for brothers and sisters, or to revisit texture a few weeks later.
Where this fits in art
Before this, children in Reception and Year 1 explore materials freely. They squeeze, press and print, and they begin to name what they feel. This sheet gives that early play a clearer focus on describing texture and choosing words with care.
After this, children can use texture as one choice among many in their own art. They might make collages, printed patterns or drawings that show how a surface looks. In Key Stage 2 they build on these skills with a wider range of materials and techniques.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is My Texture Rubbing Page for?
It is written for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. It also suits Year 1 with some help, or older children who want a calm, creative task.
- What will children practise?
They practise making rubbings, describing texture, and choosing and comparing. This supports the art and design strand on using a range of materials creatively and exploring texture and pattern.
- What do I need to do the activity?
You need the printed sheet, plain paper and crayons with the wrappers peeled off. Children also need glue to stick rubbings in the boxes, and scissors if they cut them out.
- What if my child finds it hard?
Work in pairs and say a describing word aloud before writing. Offer a word bank such as rough, bumpy and smooth. A grown-up can hold the paper still while the child rubs.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or another group.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing and collecting some paper and crayons.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. The colour comes from the children's own crayons.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.