The life cycle begins with a female frog laying hundreds of eggs, usually in a pond. These eggs vary in size, color, and shape depending on the species and are coated with a protective jelly-like substance. Despite this protection, many eggs are destroyed by natural elements, leaving only a few to be fertilized. A mass of fertilized eggs is known as spawn.

After a few days, a baby frog, called a tadpole, hatches from the egg. Initially, it looks more like a fish and feeds on the yolk of the egg. As it grows, the tadpole develops external gills for underwater breathing, its tail elongates, and fins develop. Tadpoles spend weeks eating plants and algae.

After several weeks, the tadpole's external gills disappear, and hind limbs start to emerge. A few more weeks later, it begins to resemble a frog and is called a froglet. During this stage, it develops four limbs and lungs, allowing it to breathe outside water.

In the final stage, the froglet's tail shrinks and eventually disappears. It then hops out of the water onto dry land, entering the adult stage. In a couple of years, the adult frog will be ready to lay its own eggs, continuing the life cycle.

During the transformation, a tadpole uses the nutrients stored in its tail as a food source. This means it doesn't need to eat anything else until its tail is completely gone, supporting its journey to becoming a young frog.