[For 0-year-olds] Recommended songs for babies: A special feature on bonding play and traditional nursery rhymes
Music has a mysterious power: when you sing, a baby may suddenly stop crying, drift off to sleep, or show you a lovely smile.
It’s said that listening to music from a young age can boost concentration and support language development.
Let’s incorporate plenty of soothing music into daily life for your baby and actively stimulate their five senses.
This time, we’ll introduce recommended songs, interactive play, and traditional nursery rhymes for 0-year-olds.
We’ve gathered many warm and cheerful songs.
Gaze into your baby’s eyes, show hand and mouth movements, and gently touch their body as you enjoy the music together.
- Nursery rhymes to sing to your baby! Recommended songs enjoyable from 0 months
- Baby massage song. A touch-and-play song that parents and children can enjoy together.
- [Hand Play] Popular with kids! A collection of trendy hand-play songs and nostalgic traditional children’s songs
- [Parenting] Parent-child bonding! Hand-play songs and traditional nursery rhymes collection
- [For 1-year-olds] Fun Together! Recommended Songs and Hand Play Collection
- [Childcare] Play and games for 0-year-old babies: Fun developmental and educational activities
- Ideas for Performances Recommended for 0-Year-Olds at Recitals and Play Events
- Hand games toddlers and infants can do. Popular hand play songs in childcare
- Recommended Picture Books to Read in January for 0-Year-Olds
- Childcare: Today's recommended fun songs
- Songs you can use on Instagram Stories for your baby’s cute moments
- Get pumped with popular songs from “Okaasan to Issho”! A collection of timeless tunes everyone will want to sing together
- [Children's Songs] Cute songs recommended for childcare. List of popular nursery rhymes.
[Age 0] Recommended songs for babies: A special feature on interactive play and traditional nursery rhymes (21–30)
Tickle on the narrow bridge
A playful bonding activity for babies, tickling and gentle pinching—‘Ipponbashi Kochokochō.’ Many parents probably feel nostalgic when they hear the song itself.
It’s a classic traditional children’s song that’s been sung for generations.
In the featured video, they demonstrate by touching the child’s arm, but you can also have the baby lie on their back and gently touch their whole body.
The arm-touch version might be nice because you can do it while standing.
Give it a try and enjoy it together as a parent and child.
Vegetable Song
It’s full of rich sensory elements: incorporating cooking motions like “kyu-kyu” for cucumbers and “ton-ton” for tomatoes, touching on smells with Chinese cabbage as “kusai kusaaai” (“so smelly”), and playing with sounds by changing “buu-buu-buu” for grapes.
It’ll be interesting to see how your child responds.
Since it features many names of vegetables and fruits, it’s also recommended as an introduction to food education.
By repeating it, your child might discover favorite phrases like “ton-ton-ton,” and more.
[0-Year-Olds] Recommended Songs for Babies: Special Feature on Interactive Play and Traditional Nursery Rhymes (31–40)
La-la-la daikon
Let’s pretend the baby is a daikon radish and play together! There are two versions—grated daikon and dried daikon—so you can enjoy it in two different ways.
With the baby lying on their back, the adult sits by the baby’s feet and gently strokes or pats the reclining baby, engaging in skin-to-skin contact as if they’re cooking.
The bright tune and quirky lyrics are entertaining, making not only the baby but also the adults naturally smile.
It’s a fun activity you can start even with a newborn in the lying-down stage, so give it a try!
Spring came pop-pop-popsakushi: kozue hikari / sakkyoku: sako shinichirō
Why not sing together a refreshing song that evokes the arrival of spring? Created by Mr.
Komichi Hikari and Mr.
Shinichiro Sako, this piece features lyrics that make rhythmic hand-play fun.
The spring-themed lyrics spark children’s imaginations, and the bright melody naturally makes you want to hum along.
Since it incorporates clapping motions, it’s perfect for developing a sense of rhythm and teamwork.
Singing it at entrance ceremonies or spring events can help ease the nerves of children who are anxious about a new environment.
Be sure to sing it with your child and enjoy the coming of spring!
[Gymnastics] Animal Exercises
![[Gymnastics] Animal Exercises](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/j3gOTlbrpwo/sddefault.jpg)
“Animal Exercises” is a routine where you act out various movements to match the animals mentioned in the lyrics.
For one-year-olds and younger, simply clapping along with the music or gently swaying their bodies is more than enough to express it adorably.
The key for teachers is to demonstrate with big, easy-to-see motions.
Watching the children imitate in their own way will bring a smile to anyone’s face.
To help everyone get used to the song and flow, it could be a good idea to make it part of the daily routine as practice.
The sight of little ones doing these cute exercises is a must-see!
Lullaby
Since its birth in the Taisho era as a lullaby, it has been beloved up to the present day.
In recent years, singer Rimi Natsukawa covered it, bringing it back into the spotlight.
Its soothing and calming melody makes it perfect for holding your baby and gently patting their back to the rhythm of the music.
Listening to this song while feeling the warmth and comfort of being held will surely make your baby feel happy.
Let’s clap our hands
“Let’s Clap Our Hands” is a song where you can enjoy various movements and expressions that match the lyrics.
Because it includes expressions of feelings like laughing and getting angry, it brings out a wide range of emotions in children.
If the teacher expresses themselves boldly and even a bit theatrically, the children will feel free to join in enthusiastically.
Watching their earnest efforts with such cute expressions is sure to be heartwarming.
Since it involves full-body movement, please move chairs and desks to make enough space.