There's always a certain fascination whenever you visit the local pond, as every time you're bound to see all sorts of interesting natural wildlife--birds, bugs, and fish. But out of all the curious creatures hanging around the watering hole, there is always that one little guy that manages to catch the young boys' attention--the frog.

My mother always had a mayonnaise jar ready (with airholes in the lid) for the times I brought home one of these green (or brownish green) little hoppers. These little pet frogs were always welcome, as long as they were kept in the basement, clear away from the family furniture and the expensive rug.

I'm a little older now, and my children are into hamsters and gerbils, but there's still time to get the kids interested in American bullfrogs, firebellied toads, and even the Pac Man frog from interesting online resources such as Frog World.

My wife may not have any empty jars around, but even if we can't (or shouldn't) catch frogs from the pond anymore, we can try and capture their attention through learning about these fascinating amphibians.