Hey Kids,
It's your pal, Thorndyke, and today I’ve got some ribbit-ing information to share with you.
Have you ever heard frogs singing at night? Croak! Peep! Trill! Those sounds aren’t just music. They’re important clues. That’s where FrogWatch USA comes in!
FrogWatch USA is a special program where people listen for frogs and toads to help scientists learn how they’re doing in nature. When frogs are healthy, it usually means the environment is healthy too.
FrogWatch USA is managed by the Akron Zoo in Ohio, but zoos in several states offer training in how to become a FrogWatch volunteer. However, you don't have to live in Ohio or complete training to join the fun. Kids and families can look and listen for frogs wherever they live—near a pond, a creek, a wet park or even a puddly spot after rain.
You don’t need to catch frogs or touch them at all. Just listen carefully and notice what you hear. Different frogs make different sounds, and learning them is like learning a secret language of nature. How cool is that?
You can try to identify particular Michigan frogs (and toads) by their calls, using online recordings at Froggyvoice, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ downloadable collection of recorded calls or FrogWatch USA’s YouTube playlist of frog and toad calls.
So grab a grown-up, step outside and use your bear-sized listening ears (or kid-sized ones). Whether you live in a big city or a quiet town, frogs might be closer than you think. And when you listen, you’re learning about nature—one croak at a time.
When you're not listening for frogs, you could listen to or read one of these frog-related books.
Froggy Day by Heather Pindar – When froggy weather moves in, the frog horn sounds in the harbor, drivers turn on their frog lights, and frogs appear in the unlikeliest places.
Frogness by Sarah Nelson – Sammy and Chocolate tiptoe into the marsh behind their house in search of frogs. They can hear frogs everywhere, but they can’t spot even one. It’s only after they stop looking, flop onto the grass and fade into frogness—no thinking, just being—that frogs come flying.
Frankie Frog and the Throaty Croakers by Freya Hartas – Frankie Frog is unable to croak, but when he sees four joyful humans playing with strange objects, he realizes there is another way for him to find his voice.
Frog Vs. Toad by Ben Mantle – As things get a bit heated among the amphibian population in the swamp, rivals Frog and Toad must cast their differences aside and work together when they have a close encounter with a snappy alligator.
SNAP! by Anna Walker – Tap, tap, tap. Frog thinks there's no one else in the forest, but you never know what's just around the corner. See what the frog discovers in a rollicking and hilarious soundscape adventure for the smallest of readers.
Am I a Frog? by Lizzy Rockwell – Learn about the life cycle of frogs from egg to tadpole and beyond in this illustrated science book for early readers.
My Book of Frogs and Toads by Geraldo Valério – In this gorgeous album, Geraldo presents his favorite frog and toad species from around the world, including the frog that can grow to the size of a small housecat and the toad that smells like garlic.
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