The Frog Cycle !!! - Homegrown Adventures

Right now is the perfect time to go to a creek or pond and collect some tadpoles. The life cycle of a frog is so intriguing that even mom will be looking forward to see the changes that these little guys go through. Take lots of pictures and enjoy this wonderful transformation: tadpole to frog.

1. Go to a creek or pond during the spring time and collect tadpoles. Make sure you get lots of pond water. You want to change the pond water once a week. Also get lots of algae because this is what tadpoles eat. Buy a paint tray and set the tadpoles outside so they can get some sunshine. Watch them change and grow.

2. Make the frog cycle using shoulder pads. You need 10 shoulder pads (5 boxes total), hot glue, eyes (large ones for the eggs and small ones for the eyes), Spray paint (green or brown), scissors, brown or green felt, and a stapler. Staple two of the shoulder pads together. On one side use large eyes and hot glue them to the shoulder pad. The other 8 shoulder pads need to be spray painted. Let them dry and then staple them together. Cut out front legs, back legs, and tail out using felt. Glue them on the shoulder pads.

3. Learn all about frogs:

What are frogs:

Frogs belong to a group called vertebrates (animals with backbones) They are known as amphibians. This means that they live part of their life in water and the other part on land. Amphibians are cold-blooded animals which means that their body temperature is the same as the surrounding temperature. Frogs live near ponds, swamps, and other wet places. They do not drink the water. Instead they absorb it through their skin. They also have lungs and are able to breath through their skin.

Where do frogs live?

Frogs are found almost everywhere except the Antarctica. The largest frog is found in West Central Africa and is known as Goliath frog. It is as heavy as a newborn baby. An adult human has 206 bones. Now compared to that a frog has 159 bones. About half of their bones are in their feet.They are missing the rib bones. This is why the can squeeze though tight places like fingers. There are about 2000 kinds of frogs.

The frog cycle is called metamorphosis.

First theres the eggs. Frogs lay about 4,000 jelly-covered eggs which cling together. It takes up to 21 days for the egg to hatch. Not all of the tadpoles make it because water beetles, snakes, and birds love to eat tadpoles.

After about 10 days of hatching the tadpole will start to eat algae. They ony have a tail at this point.

Then the tadpole back legs will sprout. This takes about 9 weeks.

Then the front legs sprout.

By 12 weeks the tadpole will look like a frog with a tiny tail. They eat their tail before they become a frog.

It takes 12 to 16 weeks for the tadpole to turn into a frog. It could be more depending on temperature. If it gets cold the tadpole will go down to the ground and they will not eat or move until it gets warm.

4. Read lots of books about frogs. You can get books at the library.

Have fun 🙂