Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Rub a Tree Gallery: Free Printable Craft Activity for Ages 2 to 4
- ForAges 2 to 4
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Rub a Tree Gallery is a free printable craft activity for Ages 2 to 4, in Early Years. Children lay the sheet on a surface and rub with the side of a crayon to make a rubbing. Then they look at the pattern that appears. It needs only paper and crayons, and it gives young children a calm, hands on way to explore texture.
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, keep page 1 for the child and page 2 for the grown up. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Rub a Tree Gallery is a rubbing trail. A grown up picks the places and reads each caption aloud. Children lay the sheet on a surface, then rub across it with the side of a crayon until the pattern shows. The captions cover a tree trunk, a leaf, a fence, a brick wall and a drain cover. There is also a last frame for the child's own choice, plus boxes for drawing or notes.
- A tree trunk
- A leaf
- A fence
- A brick wall
- A drain cover
- My own choice
Setting up your gallery
Gather your kit
Print the sheet and collect a few crayons. Peel the paper off each crayon first, so the side is ready to use. Keep a pencil nearby for the boxes.
Choose the places
The grown up picks where to rub. Use a garden or a playground, away from roads and traffic. Check each surface is safe to touch before the child begins.
Hold it steady
A rubbing works best when the paper does not slide. Hold the sheet still for the child, or tape the corners down if the surface allows it.
Hang the gallery
When the frames are done, put the sheet on a wall or fridge. Let the child show it to someone and say which frame they like best.
Why make rubbings?
A rubbing is a simple way to see texture. When you press a crayon over paper laid on a surface, the raised parts of that surface catch more of the crayon. They show up as darker marks, and the flatter parts show up lighter. This means the child can see a pattern from something they would normally only feel with their fingers.
For children aged 2 to 4, rubbing links touch, sight and talk. They learn that tools can be held in different ways, such as using the side of a crayon rather than the tip. This sheet supports Expressive Arts and Design, in the strand Creating with Materials. The focus is on trying things out, not on making something that looks a certain way.
An adult chooses every place to rub and reads each caption aloud. Pick a drain cover in a garden or playground, away from roads and traffic. Check that the surface is clean and dry before the child touches it. Wash hands afterwards. Keep small items out of reach of young children.
Tree and texture facts
- Every tree trunk is covered in bark. The bark helps to protect the tree.
- Bark looks different on different kinds of trees.
- A leaf has thin lines running through it called veins.
- Crayons are made mostly of wax and colour.
- Pressing harder with a crayon makes a darker mark.
Skills and curriculum link
- Making rubbings
- Exploring textures
- Using the side of a crayon
- Looking closely
- Talking about what they see
Ideas for the grown up
- Start with touchBefore rubbing, let the child feel the surface with a flat hand. Ask what it feels like. Then rub, and ask if the paper shows the same thing.
- Show the gripShow how to hold the crayon on its side, flat against the paper. Rub in one direction first, then try going back and forth.
- Use simple wordsOffer words such as bumpy, rough, smooth and ridged. Say them as you rub. Young children pick up new words best when they hear them in action.
- Let them leadThe child chooses the colour, how hard to press and when to stop. A messy or pale rubbing still shows learning. Praise the effort, not the result.
Key words
- RubbingA picture made by rubbing a crayon over paper that is lying on a surface.
- TextureHow something feels when you touch it, such as bumpy or smooth.
- GalleryA place where pictures are shown for people to look at.
- BumpyCovered in small lumps that stick up.
- SmoothFlat and even, with no bumps.
- RidgedHaving raised lines or ridges.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the child. Keep page 2 for the grown up.
- Peel the paper off a crayon. Choose the places and read the first caption aloud.
- Lay the sheet on the surface and hold it still. Show your child how to rub with the side of the crayon.
- Look at the rubbing together. Talk about what you can see and how it felt.
- Move on to the next caption when your child is ready. Stop while it is still fun and come back another day.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Hold the sheet still for your child. Peel the paper off the crayon first so the side is ready to use. Put your hand over theirs for the first rub, then let go. Try just one or two frames to begin with.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to describe each texture using words like bumpy, rough, smooth or ridged. Then ask them to find a new surface for the last frame and say why they chose it. Compare two rubbings and say how they differ.
Make it a game
Hold an opening party for your gallery. Walk friends or family around the frames, one at a time. Each child says which frame is their favourite. Everyone can guess what surface made it, then go and look.
Talk about it
- What does this feel like under your hand?
- Is it bumpy or smooth? How can you tell?
- What happens when you press harder?
- Which colour shall we use for this one?
- Which frame in the gallery is your favourite, and why?
- What else could we rub that we have not tried yet?
Take it off the page
Leaf rubbing walk
Collect a few large fallen leaves in the garden or park. At home, put a leaf under a plain sheet of paper and rub over it with the side of a crayon. An adult supervises and keeps any small items out of reach.
Texture touch basket
An adult fills a basket with big, safe items such as a soft cloth, a sponge, a wooden spoon and a large pine cone. The child feels each one and chooses a word for it. No small objects that could be swallowed.
Playdough pressing
Roll out playdough and press large, flat plastic shapes into it to make patterns. Talk about bumpy and smooth. An adult keeps small items away and stays with the child throughout.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first frame and let them lead. Keep it short and stop while it is still fun. You choose the places and read the captions. Wash hands afterwards.
Teachers
Use it as a table activity, a continuous provision task or a small group focus in Early Years. It needs no preparation beyond printing and finding a few suitable surfaces. Adults choose the places, and page 2 has help and stretch ideas for mixed groups.
Home educators
Pair it with a walk, a story about trees or some outdoor play. Collect textures from your own garden or street, away from roads. The sheet is free to print again for brothers and sisters, so each child can make their own gallery.
Where this fits in learning
Before this, children explore materials freely. They squeeze playdough, make marks with chunky crayons and feel different surfaces with their hands. Rubbing builds on these early experiences by adding a simple, clear way to record what they find.
After this, children can try other mark making tools, such as chalk, pencils and paint, and make prints and collages with natural objects. They begin to name and compare textures with more words. These skills support later drawing, pencil control and early art work in Key Stage 1.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Rub a Tree Gallery for?
It is written for Ages 2 to 4, in Early Years. Younger children will need a grown up to hold the sheet and help with the crayon. Older ones can do more of it alone and talk about each texture.
- What will children practise?
Children practise making rubbings to explore texture. This sits in Expressive Arts and Design, in the strand Creating with Materials. They also practise using the side of a crayon and describing how things feel.
- How do I use it?
An adult chooses the places and reads each caption aloud. Pick a drain cover in a garden or playground, away from roads and traffic. Lay the sheet on each surface, rub with the side of a crayon, and wash hands afterwards.
- What if it feels too hard?
Hold the sheet still for your child and peel the paper off the crayon first. Do one frame at a time and stop when interest fades. You can put your hand over theirs for the first rub, then let go.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You only need plain A4 paper and some crayons. Black and white printing works well, so there is no need to use colour ink.
- Is it suitable for teachers to use in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a table activity or a small group task in Early Years. It needs no preparation beyond printing and choosing safe surfaces. An adult should choose the places and stay with the children.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It is a screen free printable that needs only paper and crayons. It works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays, and it gets children touching, looking and talking about what they find.
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.