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Dragonflies will lay their eggs on any water plant available to them.

Give them more time. Ferns are generally quite hardy and if they were appropriate to your growing zone, they should return when the soil temperatures warm.

If temperatures were below freezing, the fronds will freeze, as you found, though they generally can take brief dips in temperatures.
The plants themselves should be ok as they are hardy down to zone 3.

Just allow them some more time to see if they will send up new growth.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/ferns/taking-care-of-outdoor-ferns.htm

These links will help you.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/japanese-painted-fern/grow-japanese-painted-fern.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/astilbe/growing-astilbe-plants.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/shade/

Division of Ferns is generally done in early spring.
Ferns generally die back on their own after frost and cold weather has moved in.
Reducing how tall the Ferns grow is not possible, you can simply reduce the size of fern groupings.
You may want to dig up the Ferns and move them to a more suitable location.

Unwanted plants can sometimes be dug up and given to other gardeners. Perhaps a call to the local garden club would put you in touch with some local homeowners that would love to take the Ferns off of your daughters hands. They may even come help remove the plants.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/ferns/taking-care-of-outdoor-ferns.htm

This is a Kangaroo Fern.

Takes morning sun; shelter from harsh afternoon sun in extremely hot areas. Can tolerate some drought, but looks best with regular watering; keep moist but not wet.