Tilly the Treefrog and the Waiting Game

 A Playful Tale About Waiting and Wonder

Tilly the Treefrog can't wait for her turn at the carnival's face-painting tent — but the line is soooo long, and her legs won't stop hopping! With a little help from her pals, Tilly discovers that slowing down and noticing the world around her makes waiting not just bearable… but joyful.

A gentle, playful story to help little ones manage impatience and big feelings when waiting feels way too hard.

🌟Perfect for any child learning to wait with calm and curiosity.

🎧 Listen to / Download the Audiobook

Hit play to listen to a sample of the heartwarming PatchO Pal story, read aloud for little ears.

This audiobook is a PatchO Family email list exclusive. Tilly's full audiobook will be sent to your inbox as a special post-purchase bonus after your first order.

📖 Read Along Story

Snuggle up and read the full story with your little one below.

Tilly the Treefrog and the Waiting Game

A gentle, playful story to help little ones manage impatience and big feelings when waiting feels way too hard. By patcho.com.au.

Tilly the Treefrog was bouncing with cheer, The bush carnival day was finally here! 🐸

With Pat and with Hazel, she was excited to play, “Oh wow!” Tilly giggled, “What a fabulous day!”

With sparkles and colours wherever you went! Then — she saw it. The face-painting tent! 🎨

She hopped to the line with a big, happy cheer…But… oh no. That line? It stretched far from here.

Tilly bounced once. Then twice. Then three times, then four — Her legs felt too jumpy to stand still anymore!

She twisted and wriggled, her tummy felt tight. “I don’t want to miss out! This just isn’t right!”

“What if the colours are all gone by my go? What if the paint dries, or they all just… say no?”

She huffed and she puffed with a jittery frown, “I’ve waited forever!” she said feeling down. 😢

With Tilly the treefrog, feeling down, in despair, Pat the Platypus spoke to Tilly, gently with care

“Hey Tilly,” he smiled, “the line’s moving quite fast” Let’s pause for a moment, this feeling won’t last.”

“You can tell me what’s tricky — I’m right here with you. Let’s breathe and look gently at something brand new.

See how the clouds float, gently, high in the sky? Let’s count all the insects, we can see passing by.” 🐛

So Tilly stood still and gave it a go, one breath in… then out… just nice and slow.

She noticed the breeze and a blue dragonfly, and smiled as a butterfly, fluttered close by.

Hazel the Microbat flapped her small wings, “I brought us a nibble, let’s all eat something.” 🍓

Tilly grinned wide, “That helps quite a lot!” She took a sweet bite — it hit the right spot.

“I thought all the paint might be used up too quick, Or I’d wait so long I might feel a bit sick!”

Pat nodded kindly, “That worry was loud — But you’ve been very patient and that makes me quite proud.” 

At last it was time — her turn was finally here! She hopped to the front with a giggle and cheer.

"The glittery fairy please" she said with a smile — The long wait in line, was all so worthwhile. 😁

Now Tilly knew — if things take a while, You can still find joy, in each little mile.

A deep breath, a pause, a kind word or two… And the waiting game, wasn’t so hard to do.

The end.

💡A Note for Grown-Ups

Young children often struggle with waiting — especially when they're excited or afraid they'll miss out. In this story, Tilly learns that it’s okay to feel impatient — but she also discovers tools to manage it.

You can help your child develop patience and self-regulation by:

• Acknowledging their feelings (“It’s hard to wait, isn’t it?”)
• Offering sensory grounding (noticing 3 things they see, hear, or feel)
• Encouraging slow breaths
• Talking about the situation (“Let’s count how many kids are left in line”)
• Showing them how others might feel the same way

Stories like this help normalize big feelings and give kids language and tools to cope — especially when they know they're not alone.

🌈Love this story?

Tilly’s not the only one with a story to share.

Each of the PatchO Pals has their own heartwarming tale — giving young kids simple stories and tools to help with common challenges like feeling overwhelmed, losing focus, impatience and fomo, overcoming fears, sensory overload and disappointment when things change.

All stories are available for free as read-alongs, and you can unlock the audiobooks as you journey with the PatchO Pals —  by joining our email list, placing your first order, or exploring more with us.  

✨ Collect them all and build your own PatchO Storytime Audiobook Library! 

📚 PatchO Pal Stories & Audiobooks

📖 Pat the Platypus and the Stormy Surprise
🎧 Audiobook — Free to everyone.

📖 Ari the Superb Fairywren Finds His Focus
🎧 Audiobook— PatchO Family email list exclusive: Sign up bonus.

📖 Tilly the Treefrog and the Waiting Game (this story)
🎧 Audiobook — PatchO Family email list exclusive: Post-purchase bonus.

📖 Chad the Aussie Water Dragon and the Wobbly Bridge
🎧 Audiobook — PatchO Family email list exclusive:  Reviewer bonus.

📖 Hazel the Microbat and the Soothing Sounds  
🎧 Audiobook — PatchO Family email list exclusive: 1 month PatchO-versary bonus.

📖 Opal the Sugar Glider and the Rainy Day Picnic  
🎧 Audiobook - PatchO Family email list exclusive: Repeat purchase bonus.

💌Be sure to join our PatchO Family Email list (via the footer) to secure your audiobooks!

✍️Written by the PatchO Team
At PatchO, we’re a small Aussie team on a mission to inspire families to embrace life’s adventures — big and small.

Whether you’re navigating bedtime, busy mornings, or emotional ups and downs, we’re here to help make everyday rhythms feel calmer, more connected, and a little more magical — with the support of nature and our friendly PatchO Pals.

🧸 Want more gentle support for your family’s routines?
Explore our aromatherapy patches made to support big little feelings. Our Comfort Companions are thoughtfully designed to support connection, play, and meaningful moments together.