Frog Technique: An Exercise for Children's Self-Control

Children's self-control is essential when it comes to establishing healthy relationships with themselves and with other people. Learn more.

Children’s self-control is very important in life, not only for them but also for the family. However, the ability to control yourself in any type of situation must be learned and requires time and a lot of patience.

Luckily, there are some exercises focused on children’s self-control, which can be carried out by little ones without problems. One of them is the frog technique. Have you heard of it?

In the following article, you’ll learn what it consists of, how it helps children to manage their behavior, and of course, how to implement it. Keep reading!

The frog technique and children’s self-control

Generally speaking, the frog technique stands out as an exercise to help children gain self-control. It consists of a simple relaxation method, which can be carried out by children from 5 years of age.

This method was developed by Eline Snel, author of several books, including The Little Frog Awakes: Mindfulness Exercises for Toddlers (and Their Parents). 

In the book, she expresses her primary objective, which is to achieve assertive communication of feelings by children. In addition to this, this technique also teaches about the management of deep breathing and the connection between the body and the mind.

The benefits of the frog technique

Although the primary goal of the frog technique is children’s self-control, this isn’t its only benefit. Performing this exercise on a regular basis contributes to the development of various positive aspects of the little ones, such as the ones we share with you below.

Improving attention and concentration

In order to execute the technique, children must pay attention to the step-by-step instruction. This way, the ability to concentrate is stimulated.

At the same time, the management of breathing contributes to the careful observation of objects and people, which is why attention is also exercised.

Avoiding impulsive situations

Hyperactivity becomes normal at certain times of the day. Children accumulate energy and have a constant need to explore the environment around them. This can motivate them to take action on impulse.

However, everything has a limit and impulsivity is no exception. Through the frog technique, it’s possible to achieve greater self-control and avoid these types of situations constantly.

Strengthening interpersonal relationships

The frog technique can be done individually or in groups. When carried out in groups, the benefit of peer interaction is obtained, which strengthens the social relationships of children in the classroom.

It can even make them a little calmer when it comes to communicating and developing other types of activities.

How is the frog technique practiced?

To perform the frog technique, you must begin by explaining to the children how it’s done.

First, they should sit on the floor with their back completely straight, with their arms on either side of their body, and with their legs crossed in front of them. Then, they need to proceed to control their breathing, taking air through the nose and expelling it through the mouth.

Basically, this is the technique. However, many times, you need to add a percentage of entertainment and play in order to motivate children to do it.

Once the children are in position, tell them to use their imaginations to locate themselves in a swamp, the natural habitat of frogs. They can close their eyes to get the brain to do a better job.

Once there with the mind, they must breathe like these animals: Taking air through their nose, inflating their chest or stomach, and then expelling it in a controlled and harmonious way.

As children carry out the frog technique, they should reflect on their emotions, the situations they experienced throughout the day, and the feelings those experiences awakened.

Ideally, they should try to calm negative feelings and try to channel them through breathing.

The importance of children’s self-control

Self-control is essential in human life, both for children and adults. However, this aspect is often learned and built through experience.

As children grow, they experience various emotions and understand how to handle them. So, children’s self-control allows them to communicate with their social environment in an appropriate way.

Therefore, through this technique, your children can learn to communicate with other children, respect their decisions, and understand the rules of behavior in a specific situation.

To develop children’s self-control with the frog technique you must go slowly

The frog technique stands out as an effective exercise for developing children’s self-control. However, it doesn’t mean that children get used to it easily or make it part of their habits overnight. Remember that not all children are motivated in the same way.

Therefore, we recommend that you go slowly, not forcing your little ones to do this type of exercise or any other. Ideally, they shouldn’t feel obligated and can figure out the motivation for themselves. Look for alternatives that you like, be patient, and of course, be understanding.