[For 1-year-olds] Fun Together! Recommended Songs and Hand Play Collection
One-year-olds are starting to move their hands and bodies and show interest in all sorts of things around them.
When you sing to them, they happily clap along to the rhythm and sway their bodies as they enjoy the music.
So this time, we’ll introduce recommended songs and popular hand-play activities for one-year-olds.
We’ve gathered plenty of hand-play songs that one-year-olds can enjoy singing, including songs with fun repeated words and songs that introduce colors and numbers as you sing.
They’ll surely keep asking, “One more time!”
These are perfect for filling small gaps between activities or as a warm-up!
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[For 1-year-olds] Fun Together! Recommended Songs and Hand Play Collection (11–20)
Rubber Boots March
The children’s song “Rain Boot March” is sure to make outings on rainy days more fun.
The lyrics depict cheerfully walking along in rain boots, not minding muddy roads or puddles.
A one-year-old may not have many chances to wear rain boots yet, but singing this song could be one way to help them enjoy gloomy rainy days.
The lyrics include onomatopoeia that imitates the sounds of walking in rain boots and the rustling, squishy feeling of wearing them, which your child is sure to enjoy.
Tulip
“Tulips” is a simple song that shows flowers blooming beautifully and includes the three primary colors—red, blue, and yellow—in its lyrics.
Its tempo and pitch make it easy to sing, so children can learn it quickly.
While getting familiar with the song, it’s also a great idea to observe real tulips in the garden or on a walk.
Around age one, children start taking an interest in nature, like flowers and insects, so this can be a good opportunity to introduce them to tulips.
Adding simple hand motions to the song will make it enjoyable for children who love to dance.
Thunder God has arrived.
This song is an adorable hand-play tune that helps children learn parts of the body while having fun.
A thunder character called Kaminari-don appears, and the lyrics encourage kids to hide various body parts.
Set to a rhythmic melody, it repeats actions like hiding the belly button, bottom, and ears, so even one-year-olds can take part happily.
As the song progresses, the number of parts to hide increases, allowing children to naturally use their whole bodies while playing.
It’s perfect for indoor play on rainy days and for Setsubun events as well.
Head, Shoulders, Knees—pon!
Have fun touching your own body with “Head, Shoulders, Knees—Clap.” It’s sung to the melody of the English nursery rhyme “London Bridge Is Falling Down.” As you sing, do hand motions by touching the body parts mentioned in the lyrics.
If it’s “head,” touch your head; for eyes or nose, pointing is fine too.
After touching your knees, clap once.
First, let your child watch the moves, then have them imitate you, or gently guide their hands and move together.
It’s also a great chance for them to learn the names of their body parts and discover what each place is called.
Piglet-raccoon dog-fox-cat
The children’s song “Kobuta, Tanuki, Kitsune, Neko” is a nursery rhyme sung while playing a word-chain game with animal names.
It was written and composed by Naotsumi Yamamoto, who created many pieces of music for nursery rhymes, TV dramas, and films, including “Ichinensei ni Nattara.” Because the song repeats the names of the animals that appear in the title, it’s easy to remember, and children who are just starting to talk may be able to mimic the lyrics and sing along.
In the second verse, you imitate each animal’s call.
The quirky onomatopoeic words are likely a curious and amusing highlight for kids.
Be sure to add hand motions to match the animals as you sing!
The Itomaki song
The children’s song “Itomaki no Uta” is fun for its repetitive words.
Based on the Danish folk song “Shoemaker’s Polka,” its lyrics were written by Miyako Kohyama, who also wrote the nursery rhyme “Genkotsuyama no Tanukisan” and the picture book “Douzo no Isu.” Try singing along while moving your hands: twirl both hands in circles as if winding thread, and spread both hands to the sides as if pulling the thread.
The first verse, about making shoes with thread, is the most well known, but in fact the song has four verses! The lyrics from the second verse on also work as hand-play, so if you’re curious, be sure to sing the later verses while doing the hand motions too.
Knock knock knock knock, Grandpa with a beard
The children’s song “Ton ton ton ton Hige-Jii-san” is a fingerplay you can enjoy while moving your hands.
As you sing, use both hands to represent the characters in the lyrics.
If you place your clenched fists on your chin, you’re a grandpa with a beard; if you place your clenched fists on your cheeks, you’re a grandpa with distinctive bumps.
In this way, sing the song while doing the hand motions.
Seeing various characters appear using just your hands will make your child think, “What’s that?” and spark their interest.
Because there are no complicated movements, it’s an easy hand-play song even for one-year-olds to try.
snail
With its humorous lyrics and upbeat melody, “Katatsumuri” (Snail) is a perfect song for one-year-olds who are getting into music.
Since it’s up-tempo, many kids will enthusiastically join in and imitate the actions.
It’s also fun to use your hands to show the snail’s horns coming out in time with the lyrics.
When the rain lets up during the rainy season, why not go out and look for snails? Because they know them from the song, children may feel a special fondness.
It’s a tune that will make you want to hum along without thinking.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star is a song that’s fun to enjoy with hand motions.
Its simple lyrics and melody express the twinkling of stars.
Children will likely enjoy it in their own ways—mimicking the gestures as they sing or gently swaying their bodies.
Stars are a familiar motif that often appears in events like Tanabata.
They also show up frequently in picture books.
If you add comments like, “Look, the stars are twinkling,” it really helps spark children’s imaginations.
It’s a perfect song to enjoy together with seasonal events and picture books.
Mr. Elephant
The children’s song “Zō-san” depicts a little elephant who dearly loves its mother.
The lyrics were written by poet Michio Mado, known for works like the children’s song “Yagi-san Yūbin,” and the music was composed by Ikuma Dan, who also composed songs such as “Otsukai Ari-san.” The baby elephant, proud to have a long trunk just like its mother, simply adores her! These heartwarming lyrics are sung to a gentle, unhurried melody that fills you with a warm, tender feeling.
Try singing this song to your child with lots of love, perhaps using your hands to mimic an elephant’s trunk.