The ten lords a-leaping represent the 10 Commandments.

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.  4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

 5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

 6And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

 7Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

 8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

 9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

 10But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

 11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

 12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

 13Thou shalt not kill.

 14Thou shalt not commit adultery.

 15Thou shalt not steal.

 16Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

 17Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s. Exodus 20

Simple ways to teach a little one:

* Trace your child’s hands on a piece of paper.  Together, decorate each finger as a “lord” with colorful hats, etc.

* Read “The Story of Moses and the 10 Commandments for Children” online or another version of the story that is accessible for children. As you read each commandment, point to a different finger on your drawing.

* Choose one of the commandments to focus on, describing how it is relevant to you and your child.

* Explain that when we obey these commandments, we make God happy and we are free… free enough to LEAP!

* Play your own version of leap-frog, each “leaper” reciting a different commandment as she leaps! 🙂