March 2024 Kids Corner
from the Gale River Cooperative Preschool
Vernal Pool Search
photo credit: https://www.farmersalmanac.com/snow-fleas-29846
March is a time of awakening in the natural world. Many plants and animals that were hibernating or otherwise dormant begin to stir, breed, search for food, and make themselves known. One of the loudest creatures in spring time are the frogs. Some frogs bury themselves deep in the mud to hibernate, some spend the winter nestled in leaf litter and the wood frog actually freezes then thaws! But what they have in common is that come spring, they seek bodies of water for mating.
Amphibians need water to lay their eggs as their offspring will hatch with gills and spend their first few months in water. This means the frogs need to find a good location to lay eggs. Often they will choose a vernal pool for its lack of predators like fish. They also tend to return to the same spot where they hatched. When the frogs arrive to mate, the males use different calls to attract females. Spring peepers are one of the most well known for their peeping chorus around dusk as are wood frogs with their duck-like quack. The chorus of calls can usually be heard from a ways away, however they will grow quite as you approach. If you search on nearby vegetation and rocks you’ll likely find the tiny spring peppers while the wood frogs will probably be in the water.
Frog eggs are laid in clumps surrounded with a jelly substance which is easy to spot in the springtime. The frogs lay many eggs since even though there are no fish in a vernal pool, other animals may come along wanting a frog egg snack. On your spring adventures keep an eye out for these egg masses, or maybe even a tadpole as spring keeps rolling along.
Want tips on how to explore frogs this March? Read below and then head outside!
The best way to experience the frog chorus is to go listen! The New Hampshire Fish and Game website has a great page with various frog calls so you can listen ahead of time to differentiate. See how many different frog species you can hear and see. Can you hear or see more? Can you mimic them?
Catching frogs is a really fun way to get up close to them. It’s important to wait until after mating season, but afterwards all you need is a net and a bucket you can fill with water. The frogs will do their best to escape making this a tricky challenge. Green frogs are what I’ve caught most often with the occasional bull frog and spring peeper. Catching tadpoles is also exciting and don’t forget to check for tiny arms or legs! Some might be froglets!
Interested in frog activities and crafts? We’ve got you covered!
Making frog puppets is one of my favorite frog themed activities. All you need is a brown paper bag, some construction paper and glue. I like to cut out eyes, green spots, green arms and legs, and a red tongue. I’ll glue those onto the frog with the tongue folded accordion style and stuck into the “mouth.” You can add whatever personal touches you like, maybe a hat? Or an instrument
Making edible frog eggs is a fun and sensory experience! Jello is the perfect medium for the jelly around the mass of eggs, while tapioca pearls (commonly used in bubble tea) make great frog eggs. Simply make the jello then mix it up with a fork. Cook your tapioca pearls then poke them into your jello mass. Enjoy!
Thanks to our partner, the Gale River Cooperative Preschool in Bethlehem, for helping our area parents get kiddos outside for fun no matter the time of year.
