Why do nursery rhymes have the number five in them? Well, it’s because we have five fingers on each hand. This makes it easy for little kids to learn to count. Anything more and they might be overwhelmed. Math is hard enough already!
Five Little Speckled Frogs is another popular counting rhyme that originated in the US. Frogs can be replaced with other animals or insects. But this version is a favorite with the kids. Why not? Speckled frogs are squishy and cute.
Continue reading to get the lyrics of the nursery rhyme and read intriguing tidbits about speckled frogs.
Written Lyrics
Five little speckled frogs
FIVE little speckled frogs
Sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs
Yum Yum.
One jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool
Then there were FOUR speckled frogs
Glug Glug.
FOUR little speckled frogs
Sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs
Yum Yum.
One jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool
Then there were THREE speckled frogs
Glug Glug.
THREE little speckled frogs
Sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs
Yum Yum.
One jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool
Then there were TWO speckled frogs
Glug Glug.
TWO little speckled frogs
Sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs
Yum Yum.
One jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool
Then there was ONE speckled frog
Glug Glug.
ONE little speckled frog
Sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs
Yum Yum.
He jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool
Then there were NO speckled frogs
Glug Glug.
Printable Lyrics
Download the printable PDF file to get the full lyrics for the nursery rhyme.
Photo Lyrics
Save a copy of the image on your device.
Video Links
Here’s a lovely animated version:
This one has some life lessons too! Check it out:
Origins and History
There is no information about the origin of the song. The writer’s name and details are unknown. The nursery rhyme appeared as a part of children’s songs one day and has been in use ever since.
Five Little Speckled Frogs has a simple story. Five frogs sit on a log lying in a lake/ pool. They eat bugs and jump into the water to enjoy a swim, one after another. With each stanza, a frog jumps into the pool, reducing the count from five to four until no frogs are left on the log.
The rhyme helps with counting, additions, and subtractions. You can get the kids to count the number of frogs on the log and the ones in the pool. The animated videos of the rhyme are a hit with the kids. The videos are creative and imaginative.
Hand gestures play a vital role in teaching rhymes to preschoolers. From counting the frogs to making one eat a bug and jump into the pool, you can have a gesture for each line in the rhyme. Kids can be frogs too. We all know they would be excited to jump around the class.
But why does the rhyme have a ‘speckled frog’? We aren’t sure. Maybe the writer thought it would be fun to have a speckled frog sit on a speckled log. Speckled tree frogs belong to tropical and subtropical regions. They reside in forests, rural gardens, riversides, etc.
FAQs
The frogs are just a way to teach counting to kids. Children like frogs because of their green color and croaking voice. Furthermore, frogs have been a part of fairytales and children’s literature for centuries. The Tale of Jeremy Fisher, The Princess and the Frog, Two Frogs, etc., are some examples.
Some people use Five Green and Speckled Frogs instead of Five Little Speckled Frogs. The remaining lyrics are the same.
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