Hopping Frog

Make a little paper frog that can actually hop!

This printable craft turns a few simple pieces of paper into a funny little frog sitting on a lily pad. Kids can color the frog and the leaf, put everything together, and then use the little stick underneath to make the frog move up and down.

Get the template here

This little toy actually took quite a bit of thinking to figure out. At first, I was only planning to make a frog that looked like it was jumping, with a simple paper strip holding it onto the lily pad.

But then I thought it would be much more fun if the frog could actually move and hop like a little toy. So I started thinking about how to make that happen.

I ended up using two paper springs as the frog’s back legs. They let the frog bend down like it’s sitting and then pop back up when you move it, giving it that little hopping motion.

I also needed a thin bamboo stick to push the frog up and down. The only problem was that I didn’t want the stick sitting out in plain sight next to the frog. So I came up with the idea of hiding it inside the lily pad’s stem. The stick runs down through the stem, so you can push it up or pull it down to move the frog without seeing the stick.

It took a bit of trial and error to get everything working the way I wanted, but I really like how it turned out. Now the frog can sit on his lily pad one moment and hop up the next.

Learning Through Making This Hopping Frog

Making this Hopping Frog gives kids a chance to practice fine motor skills through hands-on paper work. Cutting, folding, and gluing help develop hand control and coordination, while working with the smaller pieces encourages them to be careful and pay attention to the details.

Kids can also make creative choices when coloring the frog and lily pad. They can try different shades, color combinations, or patterns to give their frog its own look.

Following the instructions from one step to the next also gives kids practice with concentration and working patiently through a project. It is a nice combination of creative choices and careful hands-on work.

Ideas for the Classroom and Homeschool

This printable can fit nicely into lessons about frogs, ponds, amphibians, or life in and around water. Kids could learn a few simple facts about frogs and their habitats before making their own paper frog.

It could also be part of a spring or summer nature-themed lesson, when children are exploring animals and plants they might see outdoors. For younger kids, you could talk about where frogs live, what they eat, and how they grow. Older kids could learn about the frog life cycle and then use the craft as a hands-on project to go along with the lesson.

The finished frog could also be paired with a simple writing activity, such as describing a frog’s habitat or writing a short story about a day in the life of a frog.

Hopping Frog Step By Step Guide

Supplies Needed

• Cardstock
• Colored pencils, crayons, or markers
• Scissors
• Glue
• The Hopping Frog Template

Hopping Frog Instructions

Step 1: Print the frog and lily pad template on white cardstock.

Print the template with the rectangular pieces on green cardstock to make the leaf stem and paper springs.

Step 2: Color the frog and lily pad however you like. For the leaf veins, try using a darker shade of green to give the lily pad a little more depth.

Step 3: Roll the long green paper strip tightly around a pencil to form a small tube. Glue the edge to hold it in place.

Fold the tabs created by the dotted cuts outward at a 90° angle.

Step 4: Cut a small hole in the center of the lily pad.

Apply glue to the folded tabs on the tube and attach them around the hole on the back of the lily pad.

Step 5: Use the four long strips to make two paper springs.

To make a paper spring, glue the two strips together at a 90° angle, then fold them over each other alternately till end.

Step 6: Attach the two paper springs between the frog’s body and feet to create its stretchy, bouncing legs.

Step 7: Slide the bamboo stick through the paper tube and the hole in the lily pad, then attach it to the back of the frog.

Glue the frog’s feet to the lily pad, and your hopping frog is ready to go!

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