Our elf has entered two paper frogs in a jumping contest. Their finish line is a very small blue-paper pond. 🐸
The green frog looks ready. The pink frog may be taking a moment to think about its landing.
This easy elf idea uses traditional jumping-frog folds for a little tabletop activity. The frogs stay still overnight and do their hopping in the morning.
What you’ll need:
- One official Elf on the Shelf doll (paid link)
- Two squares of ordinary paper or coloured craft paper (paid link)
- A small blue-paper pond
- Two small dark paper strips for the starting marks
- A pen for eye dots and the note
- A folded cloth to support your elf
- A clear, flat table
Setup:
Fold two jumping frogs in different colours. If you need help with the folds, follow the Natural History Museum’s jumping-frog guide, then add simple eye dots of your own. Test each frog by pressing its folded back and releasing it; neat creases help the springy fold work. Put two small dark paper strips side by side as starting marks and place a blue-paper pond a short distance beyond it. Sit your elf beside the frogs against a folded cloth and leave the “Ready, set, hop!” note. In the morning, let the children take turns launching one frog at a time towards the pond. Move the pond closer if the jumps are short, and compare how the two frogs land. Keep the course on a flat surface with space around it, rather than setting a target at the table edge.
Make it cheaply:
Ordinary printer paper works, so special origami paper is optional. Colour the frogs with pencils if your paper is white. The pond and starting marks can be drawn on one scrap sheet instead of cut from coloured paper. If folding is fiddly, make the frogs ahead and let the children concentrate on the jumping game.
Try the paper-boat regatta or the homemade marble run for another elf scene.
