“Små grodorna” is the traditional song sung and danced to around the maypole at Swedish Midsummer celebrations.
The song’s title means “The Little Frogs.” During the dance, participants sing about frogs having no tails and no tails—an intentionally playful lyric—and imitate frogs by jumping and making gestures with their hands. It is especially associated with Swedish Midsummer, when families and communities gather around a decorated maypole, or midsommarstång.
Swedish Midsummer takes place around the summer solstice, with Midsummer Eve observed on the Friday between June 19 and June 25. The song is often mistaken for Sweden’s national anthem or for a general children’s song, but its strongest cultural association is the communal Midsummer dance.
The celebration also commonly includes flower crowns, herring, new potatoes, strawberries and schnapps. Dancing to “Små grodorna” is a lighthearted ritual rather than a formal ceremony, making it one of the most recognizable sounds of Swedish Midsummer.