Feed the Little Frog

1. 1

   Draw or cut out several paper lily pads and use small crackers as pretend bugs. Place two to five bugs on each pad, spaced apart so the groups are easy to see.

2. 2

   Invite your child and another caregiver to be hungry frogs. Explain, “You may eat the bugs only after saying how many you see.”

3. 3

   Point briefly to one lily pad and ask, “How many bugs are on this lily pad?”

4. 4

   Let both frogs answer, then count the bugs together to check.

5. 5

   The frog who answered correctly may eat the bugs on that lily pad. Then begin another round.

6. 6

   After the game becomes familiar, let your child count the bugs and decide whose answer was correct.

What to notice

• Identifies how many bugs are on the lily pad without counting Counting and Cardinality
• Answers how many bugs are on the lily pad after hearing the game rule Attending and Understanding

Tips

• Sometimes your child may recognize a small quantity at a glance without counting each item.
• After each quick answer, count the snacks one by one together and connect the total with the matching numeral.
• When Dad and your child choose the same answer and confirm it by counting, both can share the pretend bugs.

Developmental benefits

• Cognitive: Playing a little frog and recognizing how many pretend bugs are present at a glance gives your child practice identifying small quantities without counting one by one.
• Language: Answering how many bugs are on a lily pad gives your child practice understanding a quantity question and responding clearly.