Five little speckled frogs

• Your singing voice
• A cushion
• Some paper and colouring pens for pretend play

The rhyme is helpful for children’s understanding of subtraction and what happens when you take away one item at a time. Using your props, extend their understanding by asking questions such as; “How many frogs would be left if 2 jumped in at the same time?” “What about if 4 more frogs hopped on the log?” etc.

5 little speckled frogs, sat on a speckled log, eating the most delicious bugs – yum yum! One jumped into the pool, where it was nice and cool, now there are 4 green speckled frogs.

Sing the rhyme together and act it out using any props you have available. The log might be a chair, a cushion or a piece of wood outside. You might make the frogs by drawing and cutting them out, or they could be rolled up socks or a selection of cuddly toys.

Why not extend their learning by asking to make up their very own stories about frogs and act it out? Why not record it and share it with us?

Frog facts to share with your toddler: 

• There are more than 5000 species of frog
• Some frogs can jump over 20 times their own body length
• Frogs don’t drink water, they absorb them through the skin