This game is very similar to the game of Tiddlywinks. Children exert pressure on a tab at the back of the frog, causing the frog to “jump.” By varying the amount of pressure, the precise spot to which the pressure is applied, and the direction the frog is pointed, children can get the frog to jump into the bucket.
This game falls into the category of physical-knowledge games because in playing the game children act on objects and observe the reactions of the objects. The action of the object is immediate and observable, and children can vary their action to get a different reaction. Children have the opportunity to form relationships between the amount of pressure they use and the distance the frog jumps, between where on the tab the pressure is applied and how the frog jumps (vertically and horizontally), and between the direction the frog is pointed and the direction the frog jumps.
Physical-knowledge games such as this one help children to become aware of how objects react to certain actions and how they can obtain different reactions, and lay the foundation for later understanding of the laws of physics.
This game is very simple and can be played by even very young children, who quickly learn how to be successful at getting their frogs to jump. Children who are not good at regulating turn taking can still play this game. If taking turns is too difficult for the children, it can be eliminated and all children can get their frogs to jump at the same time. While this makes the game slightly chaotic, it does not prevent children from playing.
Children do not have to play this game competitively. They can simply experiment with getting their frogs into the bucket, without counting how many get in at each turn.
* Jumping Frogs are available from Oriental Trading Company
Recommended # of players: 2-4
Click here to download the game.