(Intro)   Squeaks and I are looking for critters in our backyard, and I know Squeaks gets really excited when we see an animal that's small, shiny, and hoppy. Do you know what I'm talking about? That's right! A frog. We love finding frogs, and sometimes we come across another cool creature that looks a lot like a frog. Can you guess what it is? That's right! A toad.   Frogs and toads have a lot in common. Actually, toads are a special type of frog, but the two animals are pretty different from each other in ways that are easy to spot. I'm sure that by the end of this, you'll be able to spot differences like a pro.   To tell a frog from a toad, start by giving the creature a close look. First, have a look at its skin. A frog's skin looks shiny and smooth, but a toad's skin is thicker, drier looking, and bumpier. Take a look at all those bumps. While you're looking closely, try and see if you can spot two large bumps on the top of their head behind their eye. These are called paratoid glands, and only toads have them.  They're filled with poison that helps them from becoming another animals lunch.   The difference in skin and the bumps are pretty easy ways to tell the difference, but there's another way to tell these two apart, although it might be harder to see. Their teeth. If you could look into their mouths, you would see that some frogs have small teeth on the tops of their mouths, but toads don't. Frogs and toads eat the same things. They're both carnivores, meaning they eat other animals, usually stuff like bugs and slugs, and they swallow their food whole. So, frogs who have teeth don't use them to chew their food. They're only there to hold the prey in place before the frog can gulp it down. So, frogs have tiny teeth and toads don't.   But, how else are they different? Well, we can also tell frogs and toads apart by the way they behave or act. These two animals often move differently. Frogs usually take big leaps, while toads often take smaller hops or just walk. This is another easy way to tell them apart, because sometimes when you try to get close to a frog or toad, they'll quickly jump, hop, or walk away.    So, keep an eye on how the move, and even if they're not moving, have a look at their legs. Since toads are built to take smaller steps, they usually have shorter legs, but frogs tend to have long legs that are perfect for leaping.   Now, since you're already out there looking for these animals, here's another trick to help you figure out who's who. Be sure to notice what kind of place the animal is in. Are you near water? Then, you might have found a frog. Frogs like to stay very close to water. Some frogs, like bullfrogs and green frogs, spend almost all their time in water. But, toads will wander away from the water. They're happy to live on dry land, at least until it's time to lay their eggs. That's because both frogs and toads lay their eggs in the water, where little tadpoles hatch out of the egg. But, frogs and toads arrange their eggs differently. Frogs usually lay their eggs in a big bunch or a pile, but toads lay their eggs in a chain or a line.    So, you can tell frogs and toads apart by looking at their skin, their poison glands, and their teeth, if you can see them; also, the way they move, where they live, and how they lay their eggs. Cool! Now, are you ready to play frog or toad? Great! Take a look at this picture. So cute, but which do you think it is? Remember the things we said to look out for? Let's take a look at his skin. It isn't very bumpy and it looks kind of shiny. That's a point for a frog! It also has some pretty long back legs, it looks like it could do some serious leaping. We can't see its teeth or where exactly it is, but my guess is that this is a frog. And, that's right! it's a red-eyed tree frog. They live in super wet rainforests throughout Central America.   OK, let's try another one. How about this? Woah, this guy has some seriously bumpy skin, and you can kind of see where he is. It looks like he's sitting on a rock with some hills in the background, it doesn't look like a very watery place. I'm guessing this is a toad. Yup! This is a European green toad. They can live in mountains, grasslands, and even cities.   Alright, let's try a trickier one. Check out this picture. The skin looks pretty, and do you see all those little, black dots? Those are her eggs. They seem like they're in a big pile, not in a long chain. It seems like a frog to me! And, it is. It's a species of frog that lives in the northeastern United States.   Now, get out there and explore, and become a frog and toad spotting pro. What kind of animals can you find where you live? Do you have any frogs or toads? Grab a grownup and let us know us know in the comments below, or send us an email to kids@thescishow.com and we'll see you next time.