DID YOU KNOW? There are over 7,000 different species of frogs around the world! They are found on every continent except Antarctica and live in a wide range of habitats, from tropical rainforests to deserts.
May 13 is National Frog Jumping Day, the perfect time to celebrate our frolicking friends!
According to multiple sources, this unofficial holiday originated to celebrate a short story written by Mark Twain, although it is a mystery why the creator chose this particular date.
Frogs are an essential part of our environment. Tadpoles filter our drinking water by feasting on algae. Adult frogs eat lots of insects, including mosquitoes. Frogs serve as a food source for a variety of other animals. Perhaps most significantly, frogs are bioindicators, which means the health of frogs in an area tells us whether or not the area is healthy or under environmental stress.
Plus, frogs look and sound super cool! We have five fun ways to celebrate frogs on National Frog Jumping Day — or anytime you feel like applauding these awesome amphibians.
1.) Start with a giggle!
Q. What do you call a frog's favorite soda?
A. Croak-a-Cola!
2.) Enjoy a snack!
Bake up a batch of cupcakes and decorate them to look like frogs. It's easy! All you need is white frosting, green food coloring, large marshmallows, candy eyes, and black or red writing gel. Get the step-by-step directions here.
3.) Jump for joy!
Practice your jumping skills with a game of leapfrog or hopscotch. See how many jumping jacks you can do or how long you can jump rope before you tire out. Use small boxes or other obstacles to create a hurdles course and try to clear them all.
You can also, quite literally, bounce off the walls at a trampoline park! Plan an adventure to Lava Island or Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park.
4.) Visit in person!
Frogs like calm water, so you won't find them in fast-flowing creeks, streams, or rivers, but you may spot frogs in the wild if you live near a pond or lake.
We love visiting Bob's Pond Water Garden and Turtle Pond at Hudson Gardens in late spring and early summer to look for frogs, turtles, and other wildlife.
5. Read the short story!
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County by Mark Twain is the reason for this holiday. First published in 1865, it's a funny and satirical story that pokes fun at the American tradition of telling tall tales.
The story is generally recommended for ages 12 and up because satire can be challenging for young kids to comprehend fully. Still, younger children may enjoy reading the story with a parent to guide them through some of the more complex language and subtler humor. There are also several adaptations for early readers.
Interestingly, there really is a Calaveras County Fair & Jumping Frog Jubilee held annually in California, but it was inspired by the book, not the other way around.
