Year of the Frog Activities at the Zoo

Hop to it and join us! To see all upcoming events, check out our zoo-wide Calendar of Events.

February 29
Leap Day
10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Meller-Danforth Education Center
It's the Year of the Frog and what a happy coincidence -2008 is a leap year! That's why AZA has dubbed February 29 as "Leap Day." To celebrate we'll be hosting a number of fun activity stations to help little ones learn all about fantastic frogs and other amazing amphibians.

Explore the world of these amazing amphibians through games and activities.  You can Dress Like a Frog by figuring out how items like diving flippers, a mesh shirt or aspirin relate to the different parts of a frog.  You can test your matching skills through our Animal Metamorphosis Match and Frog Find game, listen to frog calls, learn how you can be a friend to a frog, make a toad abode and even sign up to be a frog monitor.

March 9
Training Session for the National Wildlife Federation's FrogWatch Program
As the first official Frog Watch Group for Rhode Island, we are excited about training as many volunteers as possible to be frog-watching-stewards for the cause.  Trainings will last 4 hours where trainees will become familiar with the national organization, the mission and locations of ponds around Rhode Island to target. A great opportunity! Learn more!

Entire Month of April
ECP  (Early Childhood Programs)
The entire month of April will focus on Frogs. Toddler Trek, Toddler Art, Preschool, and Zoo Explorers will cover a maximum of 26 programs with 282 participants between the ages of 20 months and 8 years.  

April 14-18, April 20
Conservation Week and Earth Day
Come celebrate with the biggest Party for the Planet in Rhode Island!  This year we teach visitors about the importance of amphibians through Year of the Frog activities, handouts and talks.

April 19th & 20th
SPARKS Fair
SPARKS (Supporting Parents in Advocacy, Reform and Knowledge in Science) Fair
There will be 5 stations themed with Year of the Frog on zoo grounds, each one taught by parents who went through the SPARKS program. Training takes place on March 8.

May 3
National Frog Watch Day
As the first RI chapter of Frog Watch, we will recognize this day, but details are still in the works.

All Summer
Zoo Camp on the Move:
“Natural Navigators” (age 11-13) will spend one day each week for 8 weeks surveying amphibian populations at a designated site. The data will be downloaded onto Frog Watch’s website and we will continue to do this survey every year at the same location…forever. There will be twenty kids each week for 8 weeks so their will be a total of 160 kids participating each year. We will use day survey methods established by CT amphibian monitoring program (CAMP) and used by Beardsley Zoo.

All Summer
Wetlands Bio-Fact Station
On the Wetlands trail (which is a natural walk through New England’s vulnerable wetlands with informational signage) we will set up a Year of the Frog Bio-Fact station to offer guests special experiences and hands-on learning relating to amphibians and what habitat loss can mean to each species.

All Summer
Skits by the Wild Bunch
“The Wild Bunch”, our on-grounds acting troupe, will have skits and stories that relate to Year of the Frog. Shows performed daily.

All Summer
On Grounds Interpretation
On-going interactions between docents, teens and other volunteers sharing YOF information through biofacts, interpretative carts and visitor engagement throughout the zoo.

August 11
“Family Camp” to survey amphibian population
Parents and children ages 9-12 will spend one day during the week of 8/11/08 to survey the same site as “Natural Navigators”. There is a maximum of 10 people for this camp.

September 6
Just Zoo It
Even though summer’s over, you and your family can still “Just Zoo It”! This event will focus on enjoying outdoor events that families can do together.  Hop to it and join us for a leaping contest in Hungry Bear Plaza. Other jumping-activities will be included.

September 27
Teacher Appreciation Day
At this event we will pass out amphibian activities and information as part of the educator’s packets and host a Year of the Frog education station.

October 12, 19, 26
Spooky Zoo Sunday
Ghosts and goblins of all ages will enjoy Trick-or-Treat stations, a costume parade, live music, roaming entertainers and other fun surprises, like an eerie-amphibians table, will be around every corner!

Become a Rhode Island Frog Watch Volunteer