Invite several toddlers to join you on the floor to play with some toy frogs. Introduce a toy frog by moving it up and down in pretend hopping movements. Describe what you are doing with the toy. Example: “Frogs get around by hopping. I am pretending that my toy frog is hopping.” Use up and down hand actions and move your arm to pretend the frog is going from Point A to Point B, and maybe to Points C and D!

Explain that we are going to have fun helping our toy frogs hop around. Give each toddler a toy frog. Allow time for toddlers to look at their frog and feel its shape. Point to the legs of the toy frog you are holding and invite toddlers to point to the legs on their frog. Explain that frogs use their legs to hop.

Invite toddlers to help their frog hop. Explain that you also will help your toy frog to hop and maybe toddlers would like to move their frog in the same way. Example: “Watch how I help my frog hop. You can help your frog hop like I am!”

After about a minute of hopping actions, explain that the frogs are getting hungry and it is time for our frogs to stop hopping. It is time for our frogs to eat. Draw attention to your frog. Example: “Let’s all stop moving our frogs. I stopped moving my frog. My frog is not hopping because she is eating. Your frogs are hungry too! We can let our frogs sit to eat.” Encourage toddlers to hold the toy frog with hands in their lap or put the frog on the floor to eat.

After a brief period of not moving the frogs, explain that the frogs are done eating and would like to hop some more. Manipulate your frog in hopping movements and encourage toddlers to do the same. After several moments of hopping actions, explain that the frogs are getting sleepy. It is time for the frogs to stop hopping because they need to sleep. Stop moving your frog and encourage toddlers to do the same. Example: “We stopped moving our frogs. Our frogs stopped hopping. The frogs are sleeping.” Again, encourage toddlers to hold the frog in their lap or put the frog on the floor.

Describe toddlers’ actions during the activity. Examples: “Jamar is moving his frog up and down. Jamar’s frog is hopping!” “We are moving our frogs. Our frogs are hopping!”

When you conclude the activity, acknowledge toddlers’ efforts to help their frog hop and then stop hopping. Emphasize “stop hopping” with a question, such as the following: “We had fun helping our frogs hop. What did we do so our frogs could eat and also sleep?” (stopped the hopping, stopped moving them)

Invite several toddlers to join you on the floor to play with toy frogs. Give each toddler a toy frog to hold and explore. Point out the legs of the frog. Explain that frogs move around by hopping. A frog uses its leg to hop. Demonstrate how to help the toy frog hop. Use up and down hand actions and move your arm to pretend the frog is going from Point A to Point B, and maybe to Points C and D!

Explain that each of us will help a toy frog hop around. Our frogs also will need to stop to eat and stop again to sleep. Demonstrate how to stop the hopping by holding the frog in your lap or putting the frog on the floor.

Invite toddlers to help their frogs hop around and to listen for you to say when it is time to stop the hopping. Encourage toddlers to move their frogs. Do not move your frog unless a brief demonstration seems needed. Offer a stop request after about a minute of hopping actions. This stop is for the frogs to eat. After a brief period for eating, invite toddlers to again help their frogs hop. Offer a second stop request after a brief period of moving the toy frogs in hopping actions. This stop is so the frogs can sleep. Describe toddlers’ actions during the activity. Examples: “Bradley’s frog is making big hops! All the frogs are hopping!” “Jordan stopped moving her frog. Her frog is not hopping.”

The second stop request is the end of the activity. Conclude the activity by recognizing toddlers’ efforts in (a) helping their frog hop, (b) stopping the hopping, and (c) listening carefully to know when it was time to hop and to stop hopping.