Nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs about animals
We’ve put together a collection of children’s songs that almost everyone has heard at least once, like “Elephant,” “The Policeman Dog,” and “Aye-Aye.” Because they’re made for little kids, looking at the lyrics again really shows their pleasing sound, easy-to-follow stories, and skillful word choices.
Famous nursery rhymes that have been sung for generations are perfect for parents and children to sing together.
This time, we’ve also selected many songs that you can do hand motions with, so be sure to enjoy singing along together!
Animals in Nursery Rhymes, Folk Songs, and Children's Songs (1–10)
skylark skylarkNEW!warabeuta asobi
In the pleasantly breezy month of May, here’s a nursery rhyme game with a springtime bird theme that we hope parents and children will enjoy at a relaxed pace.
It’s characterized by short, repeated phrases that call to the birds and depict traveling over mountains and through valleys.
You can rock your child on your lap, use your fingertips to represent hills and valleys—there’s no single right way to play! Though it’s a traditional song passed down in local communities since long ago, new audio recordings with fresh ways of singing were released as recently as March 2021, and it continues to be loved today in various forms, especially in early childhood settings.
Precisely because there’s no fixed answer, you can tailor it to your child’s age and the atmosphere of the moment—that’s the charm of this piece.
On a warm, sunny day, why not find your own original way to play together with your child?
Elephant’s hat
It’s a song about a baby kitten, a piglet, and a raccoon dog pup one after another climbing into an elephant’s forgotten hat.
It starts with just one, but more and more keep joining in, and just imagining the animals packed tightly inside the hat is funny.
Not only that, singing each animal’s cry the same number of times as the number of animals helps children learn numbers.
By using animals kids love and their sounds, it makes learning numbers fun.
But in the end, there are even five raccoon dog pups inside the elephant’s hat.
Just how big is it? After singing with the children, it might be fun to expand on the image and talk about it together.
Sparrows Samba
It sings about three sparrows dancing in various places.
You can just picture the adorable scene.
As the title suggests, it’s an upbeat, samba-style song.
The lyrics and music are by Tetsu Kashiwa, who is active as a singer-songwriter and novelist.
Tanuki of Fist Mountain
“Genkotsuyama no Tanukisan” is well known not only as a Japanese children’s song but also as a hand-play song.
Since the hand motions are simple, you can do it with small children, and it’s an easy tune to remember.
It’s also sung as a game for playing rock–paper–scissors.
Crocodile family
What kind of family are crocodiles, anyway? This song features a crocodile family.
The crocodile father is shaving his beard, the mother is putting on makeup, and the older brother seems to be doing some strength training.
They don’t seem all that different from a human family, do they? With this song, you can pretend to be the crocodile family and have fun adding hand motions.
If you move your body energetically and express things humorously, it’s even more enjoyable.
Grown-ups, be sure to try the hand-play along with the children!
Dog Policeman
“The Dog Policeman” is a classic Japanese children’s song loved by kids since 1960.
Many of you may already know it.
It evokes the image of a dog policeman who is flustered by a lost kitten.
It’s a heartwarming tune.
Zebra SwirlNEW!Sakushi: Endou Kouzou / Sakkyoku: Inui Hiroki
With the balmy weather in May, it’s the perfect season for a fun trip to the zoo! A great recommendation for times like these is a delightful hand-play song themed around zebra stripes.
Written by Kozo Endo and composed by Hiroki Inui, this piece is full of unique wordplay in which you whirl and peel off the zebra’s stripes and transform it into another animal.
The song began being featured around 1982 on NHK’s children’s program “Okaasan to Issho,” and it was also included on a CD released in March 2000, making it a long-loved favorite across generations.
It’s great fun to mimic the motions of taking off and putting on the stripes to the lively rhythm! Whether on the bus ride to the zoo or during time at home, singing it together as a parent and child and laughing yourselves silly could be just the thing!