Tadpole's Promise: questions to ask and activities to try
A tadpole promises a caterpillar he'll never change, but tadpoles always do. Tadpole's Promise is a clever story about life cycles with a famously surprising ending.
What age is it for? Tadpole's Promise is best for ages 4–7. Good for: Growing and changing, and promises you can't keep.
Tadpole's Promise (Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross)
- Age
- 4-7
- Best for
- Growing and changing, and promises you can't keep
Enjoy the twist, and talk about it. Use it to explore life cycles of frogs and butterflies.
What it helps with
- Life cycles of frogs and butterflies
- Change you can't stop
- Promises
- Surprise endings
Comprehension and discussion questions
Pick two or three, not all of them. “I don’t know” is a fine answer, and you can always come back to it another day.
- “Who fell in love?”
- “What promise did the tadpole make?”
- “How did he change?”
- “How did the caterpillar change?”
- “What happened at the end?”
- “Can you promise never to change?”
5-minute activities to try together
Life cycle wheel
Draw the life cycles of a frog and a butterfly side by side.
Pond visit
Look for tadpoles in a pond in spring.
Free printables: Tadpole's Promise worksheet and activity pack
This book’s one-page worksheet with the questions and activities above, plus our activity pack: printable scenario cards, three 5-minute activities and a “What could I try?” page for practising everyday skills together. Enter your email and download them straight away.
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If your child liked this, try
The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Eric Carle)
- Best for
- Growing and changing, and waiting for something good
- Age
- 2-5
The Tiny Seed (Eric Carle)
- Best for
- Patience, feeling small, and keeping going
- Age
- 3-7
A Seed Is Sleepy (Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long)
- Best for
- How seeds sleep, travel and grow
- Age
- 4-7
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By the Growing Wise team · Last reviewed: 10 October 2026
Growing Wise offers educational ideas for parents and carers. It is not a substitute for professional medical, developmental or mental-health advice. As an Amazon Associate, Growing Wise earns from qualifying purchases.