We were thrilled to find tree frogspawn in our pond because learning about the life stages of a frog is a key point in a child's learning! The male frogs have been croaking up a storm in our forest in the evenings. The rhythm is beautiful but it sure does make me wonder where they all hide during the day. In other words, the chorus sounds like one of the thousands. I hope you enjoy these life cycle of a frog for kids' activities! These tadpole life cycle activities are great for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners and even include a life cycle of a frog worksheet!
Frog Facts for Kids
- There are over 4,700 species of frogs in the world. However, Europe has only 45 species.
- Frogs absorb water through their skin, which means they don't need to drink!
- Frogs can lay as many as 4,000 eggs in frogspawn.
- The eyes and nose of a frog are on top of its head so it can breathe and see when most of its body is under the water.
- Frogs have long back legs and webbed feet for jumping and swimming.
- Some frogs can jump up to 20 times their own body length in a single leap.
- Frogs usually eat meat (bugs and worms) and swallow their food whole.
- The world's biggest frog is the goliath frog from Cameroon in West Africa. Their bodies can be one-foot long.
- The smallest frogs in the world are less than half-an-inch long.
- Herpetologists study frogs and toads. Herpetology is the study of amphibians and reptiles.
- Frog bones form a new ring every year when the frog is hibernating, just like trees do. Scientists can count these rings to discover the age of the frog.
- One type of desert frog can wait as long as seven years for water by surrounding itself in a type of transparent bag that becomes its first meal once the rain comes.
- Amphibians' eyes come in all shapes and sizes. Some frogs have square or heart-shaped pupils.
- Amphibians don't see color — they only see in black or white.
- The golden dart frog is the most poisonous frog on earth and the skin of one frog could kill up to 1,000 people.
- The male Darwins Frog takes its mate's eggs into its mouth as soon as they show signs of life and they stay there until they emerge as fully grown froglets.
- Frogs cannot live in the sea or any saltwater.
- Many of the most brightly colored tropical frogs are colored in this way to warn predators that they are poisonous.
Types of Frogs
- Poison Dart Frog
- Glass Frog
- Fire-Bellied Toad
- Neobatrachians
- Mantellidae
- Golden Matella
What is the Life Cycle of a Frog?
The life cycle of a frog has five stages. I thought it might be helpful to describe the life cycle of a tadpole.
- Eggs {or Frogspawn} are tiny and laid in thousands typically in ponds or marshes.
- Tadpoles hatch from the eggs and lives in the water using gills to breathe.
- Tadpoles begin to develop legs at this time however it still lives and breathes in the water.
- Froglets are almost mature and still have a tail, but now breaths with lungs.
- Adult frogs have no tails (the tail is absorbed into the body) and continue to breathe with lungs.
Download Your FREE Life Cycle of a Frog Worksheet
Life Cycle of a Frog for Kids Activities
The frog eggs really are beautiful with their perfectly rounded black dots and their surrounding jelly sacs. Frogs lay their eggs so the sac attaches to a branch in our pond, which makes observing their growth all the more lovely.
Life Cycle of a Frog Video
My boys loved watching this video of a frog growing from egg to adult frog. Super cool!
Preschool Songs about Frogs
A classic song for kids!
The Little Green Frog song warms my heart and brings me right back to when my boys were small.
Children's Books for Learning about the Frog
- From Tadpole to Frog
by Wendy Pfeffer - Frogs by Gail Gibbons
- From Tadpole to Frog
- Frog and Toad Spring
- National Geographic Readers: Frogs!
by Wendy Pfeffer
by Gail Gibbons
Activities for Learning about the Frog
- Habitat for your eggs or tadpoles
- Pond or Find a Source (we collect eggs into jars to give to classrooms and friends to care for and to release)
- Magnifying Glass for Kids
- Life Cycle of a Frog Replicas
- Tadpole/Frog Reversible Puppet
- Five Little Speckled Frogs Felt Board and Song
for your eggs or tadpoles
Life Cycle of a Frog Craft
Materials:- Large paper plate
- Small paper plate
- Life cycle print out
- Colored Pencils
- Paper Hole Punch
- Scissors
- Markers
Life Cycle of a Frog Activities
- Parts of the Frog Nomenclature Cards (free)
- Frog Nomenclature Books (free)
- Lily Pad Math by No Time for Flashcards
- Paper Plate Lifecycle Craft (here is a free printable of the lifecycle stages)
- Movement Activity with the child transforming from an egg to an adult frog
- Frog Sequencing Cards
- Picture to Object Matching Work
- Simple Observation of a tadpole to adult frog
- Drawing & Coloring Observations
- Use Montessori Zoology Puzzle to trace, pin poke, and color the parts of a frog.
Have fun!
Marnie