- Definition
A stamp is a tool, like a carved piece of rubber or a textured object, that you press onto something else to leave a design or pattern.
Pressing a rubber star stamp onto an ink pad and then onto paper creates a star print.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A stamp is like a cookie cutter for pictures — you press it down and it leaves a shape behind.
Ask your child: What picture do you think this stamp will make?
Common mix-up: Kids might only think of stamps for mailing letters. In art, a stamp is a tool for printing a picture many times.
Examples
- Dipping a cut potato with a shape carved into it into paint to make prints.
- Pressing a seashell into soft clay to leave a textured pattern.
stamp is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
