[For 0-year-olds] Recommended songs for babies: A special feature on bonding play and traditional nursery rhymes

Get on the busSakushi sakkyoku: Taniguchi Kunihiro

Easy at Home! Parent-Child Game: “Riding the Bus”

This is recommended for infants around 0 years old whose necks are stable.

Have a guardian firmly support the baby’s back or seat them on your lap, and sway or bounce along with the song.

From small, subtle movements to big, twisting motions, there are plenty of fun points waiting for your baby.

It’s great that parent and child are always in physical contact.

It’s a chance to deepen your bond even more than now.

Be careful not to move too vigorously, as it could lead to injury!

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Araki Jakkan

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Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Starsakushi: Takeshika Etsuko / sakkyoku: Furansu min’yō

Baby-mo April 2011 issue Hand-play song “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” [Shufunotomo Co., Ltd.]

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star is often sung as a lullaby.

The version sung around the world today is based on a French chanson, with new lyrics written by an English poet.

We recommend enjoying this song by moving a baby’s hands and feet, like a gentle baby massage.

In time with the rhythm, softly bring hand to hand, foot to foot, or hand to foot.

Although the song’s lyrics talk about the twinkling stars, it’s also fun to adapt the words so that it’s the baby’s moving hands and feet that are shining.

After moving their body, this song also makes a lovely lullaby for a nap.

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SAKI

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spool (of thread); winding thread; Itomaki (traditional toy spinning top), depending on contextSakushi: Kayama Yoshiko/Shokyoku: Komori Akihiro

[Fingerplay Song] The Thread-Spooling Song – A Nursery Rhyme Babies Love

A classic hand-play song that almost everyone hears in early childhood! Just hearing “Itomakimaki” makes you want to whirl your hands around.

When playing with a baby, gently hold their hands as if wrapping them and rotate them in circles.

At first, the baby may curiously watch their own hands spinning, but before long they’ll discover how fun the movement is and break into a smile.

It’s also recommended to change what’s made by winding the thread into things like “little ___’s shoes,” and call the child’s name often!

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yuri

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The Puppy Police OfficerSakushi: Satō Yoshimi / Sakkyoku: Ōnaka Megumi

Dog Policeman – The Little Lost Kitten [Japanese Children's Song]

This is a gentle, melodic song depicting the encounter between a lost kitten and a kind police officer.

Written by Yoshimi Sato and composed by Megumi Ohnaka, it was created between the 1950s and 1960s.

With its warm lyrics and rhythmic tune, it’s perfect for fostering children’s emotional development.

It has been broadcast on NHK programs such as “Minna no Uta” and “Okaasan to Issho,” and is beloved by many.

We recommend singing it together with your child while adding simple motions for extra fun.

The heartwarming, picture book–like story will nurture your child’s imagination.

a round eggSakushi Sakkyoku: Machida Hiroshi

Round Little Egg [Fingerplay Song]

“Maarui Tamago” is a hand-play song themed around eggs, and the hand movements that match the onomatopoeia and mimetic words give a delightfully fun impression.

First, you put your hands together to represent a round egg.

Then you act out the egg cracking and a chick emerging from inside.

Since it features many onomatopoeic and mimetic expressions that children tend to love, it’s likely to capture their interest even more.

Another fun point is that sometimes a creature that doesn’t exist in real life hatches from the egg.

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yamamoto

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