Små Grodorna: The Little Frogs of Sweden

In Sweden, at Midsummer, kids and adults dance around a big decorated pole singing "Små grodorna," the little frogs song. We dance around a cone, cover our ears, pat our behinds and jump like frogs to wake up the whole body.

How to play

1. The teacher puts a large cone in the middle as the Midsummer pole and explains that the song says the little frogs have no ears and no tails (1 min).
2. Holding hands in a circle around the cone, walk while the teacher sings "små grodorna, små grodorna..." (1 min).
3. On "no ears," let go of hands and cover your ears; on "no tails," pat your behind; and on "kou-ack-ack-ack," do crouching frog jumps (2 min).
4. Do the whole song again faster, with frog jumps getting longer around the cone (1 min).
5. Finish with one very slow round, like tired little frogs, and sit down by the pond (1 min).

Rules

• Frog jump with hands on the ground and land softly.
• Jump around the cone, following the child in front.
• Leave space so you don't land on anyone.
• When the song ends, freeze.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: do the ear and tail motions, and pat the legs for the frog jump.
• Hearing impairment: show the three motions on picture cards (ears, tail, frog) that the teacher holds up at the right moment.
• Autism: practice first without the song, just the three motions, and warn when the fast part is coming.

Learning goals

• Combine moving around with two-foot jumps.
• Match motions to parts of a song.
• Learn about a traditional dance from Sweden.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Large cone: 1

Teacher tip

It's a public-domain folk song; learn the "kou-ack-ack-ack" chorus and sing the rest in English. Watch frog jumps on hard ground: grass or mats are better.

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