[For 1-year-olds] Fun Together! Recommended Songs and Hand Play Collection

Apple rolling

[Hand Play Song] A Current Nursery Teacher Demonstrates “Ringo Korokoro” ♪ [With Song and Movements]

This song is a hand-play tune featuring a fun rhythm and onomatopoeia, themed around familiar fruits and vegetables.

With lyrics that include simple actions—like apples rolling “goro-goro”—it lets children move their bodies while singing.

Beloved by many kids in kindergartens and nursery schools, it’s a piece that children of a wide range of ages can enjoy.

It was also published as a picture book in 2020, visually expressing the fun of hand-play.

It’s recommended for bonding time with one-year-olds and as an activity starter.

Singing and playing together with parents or teachers also helps promote communication!

It’s starting.

♪ It’s starting! <with hand motions>

“Hajimaruyo” is perfect for singing before reading a picture book to draw your child’s attention toward you.

It’s a song that feels like a call to say, “Something is about to start,” and in the middle it includes a fingerplay using the numbers 1 through 5.

For example, make a 1 with both hands and put them together to become a ninja, or make a 2 (the V sign) with both hands to become a crab.

At the end, use the number 5 with open hands to guide them into a listening posture.

Even if they don’t fully settle into a listening position, it’s fine as long as the announcement that something is about to begin gets through to your child.

Give it a try!

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a big drum

[Children's Song] Big Drum ♪ With Mother (Okaasan to Issho) Covered by UtaSuta

“Ookina Taiko” (The Big Drum) is a children’s song you can enjoy while sensing dynamics in sound.

The lyrics were written by Junichi Kobayashi, one of the lyricists who adapted “Jingle Bells” into Japanese, and the music was composed by Yoshinao Nakata, known for children’s songs like “Medaka no Gakkō.” The lyrics describe how striking a big drum makes a loud sound, while striking a small drum makes a soft sound.

When you sing it, match your voice to the lyrics: use a big voice for the big drum parts and a small voice for the small drum parts.

This helps children feel the contrast between big and small, and enjoy those changes.

Don’t forget the drumming gestures—try singing it with the motions, too!

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The fish jumps.

[Summer classic! Hand-play song] The Fish Jumps

This hand-play song features a rhythmic tempo and humorous lyrics about a fish jumping and turning into things like a hat or glasses.

Its playful repetition sparks children’s imaginations.

It’s also available as the picture book “Sakana ga Hanete,” making it a popular resource that can be enjoyed both visually and aurally.

The choreography is simple, so it’s perfect for enjoying together with parents or teachers, and ideal for short transition times or as a warm-up.

It’s also recommended as a hand-play activity for one-year-olds.

You’ll surely hear, “One more time!” again and again.

Which child is a good child?NEW!warabeuta

May children’s song “Which child is the good child”

When children get together to play, do you ever wonder how to decide who’s “it” or who goes next? That’s exactly when this traditional children’s rhyme comes in handy.

You point to each child in turn in time with the rhythm, and the one chosen at the end becomes the next role—or gets a big hug—so everyone can enjoy both the thrill and the comfort it brings! It was also included on the album “NHK Nihongo de Asobo: Warabe-uta,” released in February 2007, and became widely known after being featured in segments of an educational TV program.

In dazzlingly green May, try forming a circle at a park on your walk or indoors, and enjoy the pleasant rhythm together with friends or as a parent and child.

The Bento Bus

We did the fingerplay song “Obento Bus.” [Nursery Rhymes & Finger Plays]

Rhythmic and adorable, this hand-play song depicts bento ingredients hopping onto a bus.

Featuring familiar foods, it’s perfect for singing along with children.

Based on a picture book released in 2006, it later became widely loved as a musical work as well.

It’s great for activities in nurseries and kindergartens, and fun at home too.

This enjoyable hand-play helps kids naturally learn numbers and food names, so why not sing and play together with your one-year-old? You’ll probably hear “One more time!” again and again.

Close It, Open It

♪Close Them, Open Them

Let’s enjoy “Musunde Hiraite” with one-year-olds who are getting better at imitation.

The song incorporates various movements, like opening and closing the hands and raising and lowering the arms in time with the music.

Watching the teacher’s example and copying it is great fun for children.

You’ll see a range of expressions, from big smiles to very serious faces.

The key is to sing at a slow tempo so it’s easy for them to imitate.

Spend a wonderful time with these adorable children as they express themselves as best they can with their little hands and short arms.

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den-den densha

[Hand Play] A current nursery teacher introduces “Denden Densha,” a hand game used in daycare. We’re sharing a hand play activity that children from ages 1 to 5 can enjoy.

This is a song that everyone can enjoy together while playing train.

Its pop melody and rhythmic lyrics will excite children’s hearts.

It also includes sound effects that mimic trains and bullet trains, making you feel as if you’re really riding one.

Released in October 2018 as a collaboration with JR East’s characters “Tore-tans,” this track sparks children’s imaginations and leads them into a world of fun adventures.

It’s perfect for moving your body and singing along with one-year-olds.

Singing it while playing pretend trains will make it even more enjoyable!

Let’s clap our hands

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.

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Song of a little bird

♪ Little Bird Song (with hand motions)

The cheerful chirping in “Kotori no Uta” makes it a perfect song for one-year-olds who are starting to take an interest in plants and animals.

The lyrics that portray the chirping are adorable, and the idea that the birds are singing to call their mother and father is also lovely.

It might even overlap with the children right in front of you.

When singing, it’s nice to imitate birds and enjoy expressing yourself freely.

It’s also fun to have everyone transform into cute little birds and enjoy it like pretend play.

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