Have fun in the puddles that spring brings by making a paddle boat! This is a fun way to experiment with Newton’s Third Law of Motion – action and reaction!

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Safety Warning: Adult supervision is required.

What You Will Need:

• Cardboard (waxed cardboard works well)
• Scissors
• Rubber Band
• Ruler or our Paddle Boat template
• Rubber Band
• Masking Tape
• Puddle (minimum of 2″ deep) or Water in a tub

What You Do:

• From a piece of cardboard, measure and cut out a 4″ square. If you prefer, use our Paddle Boat template to cut out the shape.
• Shape the paddle boat by cutting a point at one end and a 2″ square cut-out from the other end, as shown on our template.
• From the 2″ square that you just cut out, make a 1″ x 2″ paddle.
• Wrap a rubber band around the end of the paddle boat, and tape it to the paddle.
• Twist the paddle toward you to wind the rubber band, then place the paddle boat in the water and watch it go!

Variations:

• For a longer lasting boat, use balsa wood instead of cardboard.
• Experiment by twisting the paddle away from you – which way does your paddle boat travel?
  Try building a larger paddle boat. Did it work as well or better than the 4″ model?
• Decorate your paddle boat using crayons or permenant markers. Come up with some wild designs!
• Have puddle paddle boat races with a friend! See who’s boat can travel the farthest; who’s is the fastest; the slowest; the one that travels in a straight line; etc.

The Science:

Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When the paddle pushes against the water, the boat moves forward – in the opposite direction of the paddle.

Looking for more fun things to play with outside this Spring? Make sure to check out our:


Chinese Jump Rope

16′ Long Heavy-Weight Cotton Jump Rope

Easy Start Sandbox

Ultra Stomp Rocket

Touchable Bubbles in a Test Tube

Classic Pinky Ball

Yackle Ball

24′ Parachute

Have fun!

Grow a Frog!

This activity helps children observe the life cycle of a frog. The activity also helps children practice patience and the skills of observation.

Come on!

What are you waiting for?!

Go grow a frog!!!

What You Will Need:

• Tadpoles (collected from a local pond)
• Aquarium or other container
• Pond Water
• Magnifying Glass (optional)
• Accordion Book Template (optional)

What You Do:

• Visit a local pond early in the Spring and look for frog or toad eggs. Frog eggs look like a mass of jelly and toad eggs look like long strings of dark colored beads.
• Scoop the eggs into a container, then place the water and eggs into an aquarium. Please be careful when scooping water from the pond. Adult supervision is required!
• Place your aquarium in a bright area, but not in direct sunlight. You will need to change the aquarium water once a week, using water from the pond that you collected the eggs from. (Please note: Water from your faucet will not work – you must use water collected from a pond).
• Observe your frog or toad eggs on a daily basis, making notes of any changes you see. Our Accordion Book Template makes a nice timeline booklet to record your observations in. We recommend you use a magnifying glass to look closely at the eggs.
• Tadpoles are herbivores. When your tadpoles hatch, you will need to add water plants or decaying lettuce for them to eat. Record the date your frogs or toads hatched and include your observations.
• Your tadpoles will begin to grow back legs first, followed by their front legs. This process of growth is called metamorphosis. When the tadpoles have grown their back legs, they become carnivorous and you will need to provide a diet of meat for them to eat. You can place a small piece of meat in the water, or feed the tadpoles small bits of cat or dog food. Froglets in the wild primarily eat insects such as grasshoppers, flies and mosquitoes. They also like to eat worms, slugs and spiders.
• Over several weeks, the tadpoles will begin to lose their tails and will start to breath air. You will need to place rocks in the aquarium so the young frogs can climb out of the water to rest. You may need to put a cover on your aquarium to keep the frogs inside!
• When your tadpoles have completed their growth into frogs, it is time to release them back to the pond where you found them. Record the date that you released your frogs, and you will have a record for the following year!

Variations:

• Tadpoles generally emerge about a week after the eggs have been laid. In about eight weeks, your tadpoles will begin to grow their back legs. At twelve weeks, their front legs will begin to grow. At approximately 14 weeks, tadpoles begin to lose their tails and start to look more like a small frog. After 16 weeks, your tadpole will look like a frog, and will continue to grow and become an adult frog.
• Use a ruler to measure the length of your tadpole, and ultimately the size of your frog. Record these measurements in your timeline booklet. If you have more than one tadpole, note the changes and differences between each tadpole – did one grow faster than another?

One-Step Further

• See if you can identify the kind of frog or toad you are helping to grow. A great website for identification and additional information is eNature. Here, you can search for frogs and toads in your area, and learn more about their habitat and behavior.
• Do some research! See if you can find out what the difference is between frogs and toads. Can you find which frog is the largest in the world? The smallest in the world?
• There are lots of myths about frogs and toads – see if you can find a few myths about frogs (or toads) and warts. Do frogs really bring good luck? Can it really rain frogs?
• Want more information? The Center for Global Environmental Education has a program called “A Thousand Friends of Frogs”. This website includes teacher’s guides, activities for children, and much more to help learn about our friendly frogs!