Dramatic play is one of the most powerful ways preschoolers explore stories. When children pretend to be the characters they read about, they begin to understand the story in a deeper way.
In this activity, children recreate scenes from Frog and Toad through pretend play. They can act out the story, invent new adventures, and practice expressing ideas and emotions.
Adding a simple frog craft makes the activity even more engaging, giving children a character they can use during play.
The goal is not to perform the story perfectly, but to invite children to imagine, act, and retell stories in their own way.
🎭 Activity: Frog and Toad Dramatic Play
Skills Practiced
• Language development through storytelling and conversation
• Imaginative play
• Social and emotional expression
• Creativity and problem solving
Materials
• Green construction paper
• Glue
• Scissors
• Googly eyes or drawn eyes
• Popsicle sticks
• Markers or crayons
Optional:
• Small boxes or blocks to create a stage
• Toy pond or small sensory tray
• Books about frogs
Frog Craft: Simple Frog Puppet
1️⃣ Cut a large circle from green construction paper for the frog’s face.
2️⃣ Cut two small circles to create frog eyes.
3️⃣ Glue the eyes on top of the frog’s head.
4️⃣ Draw a smile and decorate the frog with markers.
5️⃣ Glue the frog onto a popsicle stick to create a puppet.
Children can create multiple frogs to represent Frog and Toad.
How to Set Up the Dramatic Play
1️⃣ Read the story Frog and Toad – The Lost Button together.
2️⃣ Invite your child to create the frog puppet.
3️⃣ Set up a small pretend play area using blocks, pillows, or a tray.
4️⃣ Encourage your child to use the puppet to act out scenes from the story.
Children may recreate the story or invent their own frog adventures.
Invitation to Play Tip
Avoid directing the story too much. Instead, ask open-ended questions like:
• What is Frog doing now?
• Where is the button?
• What adventure will Frog go on next?
These questions help children expand their imagination and language skills.
Why We Love Dramatic Play
Pretend play helps preschoolers:
🐸 practice storytelling
🐸 build vocabulary
🐸 express emotions
🐸 strengthen creativity
When children act out stories they begin to see themselves as participants in stories, not just listeners.
And that connection is one of the things that helps children fall in love with books.