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!
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Nursery Rhymes, Folk Songs, and Children's Songs about Animals (31–40)
School of Medaka
The title makes you excited, wondering, “What kind of school is the medaka fish school?” It’s one of the famous children’s songs, first presented in 1951 on NHK’s radio program ‘Children’s Hour.’ What can you see when you peer into the water? Be sure to find out while singing along!
Spring MeadowSakushi: Sakata Hiroo Sakkyoku: Ichikawa Toshiharu
This is a children’s song by poet-lyricist Hiroo Sakata and composer Toshiharu Ichikawa, a pioneer of educational music, depicting a foal galloping across a pasture.
It sings of a lively young horse running about in the spring breeze, with fresh grasses and flowers sprouting all around.
It has been included for many years in lower-grade music textbooks, featuring a comfortable vocal range and an easy-to-remember melody that thoughtfully draws out children’s natural singing voices.
It is featured in Educational Art Company’s elementary school music textbooks for the 2020 and 2024 school years, with accompanying teacher’s CDs and beginner piano scores available.
Expressing the vibrant feeling of spring through a bright, light rhythm, this piece is perfect for choral singing in early childhood settings as a new season begins, or for family sing-alongs at home.
If your child loves ranches or animals, try singing it together for fun!
Jungle Pocket
It’s a fun song with unique lyrics where animals keep popping out of a pocket.
Kids who love animals will be thrilled and excited as one animal after another appears—how wonderful, right? You can also keep the fun going by playing imitation games with animal sounds afterward.
Mountain MusiciansDoitsu min’yō
An endearing, picture book-like piece in which the animals of the forest become musicians and hold a concert.
In this song, mountain friends like squirrels and little birds appear one after another, each showing off their favorite instrument.
With a structure that layers on words imitating the timbre of the instruments, it carries a lively joy that makes your body start moving all on its own.
It became widely known in Japan after being featured in April 1964 on NHK’s “Minna no Uta,” sung by Dark Ducks.
Since then, it has been sung for many years on educational programs and the like.
Part of its charm is that you can enjoy it with gestures and hand motions, too.
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.
Nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs about animals (41–50)
A little leaf boat
This is a children’s song about migratory swallows returning to southern lands aboard boats made of tree leaves.
When adults listen, they can’t help but wonder: real swallows don’t have such habits, do they? Wouldn’t a leaf boat sink? It’s full of questions—but it’s a delightfully imaginative idea, very characteristic of Ujo Noguchi.
The Bear of the Forest
The lyrics for the first half, from verses 1 to 5, are all from “Forest Bear” (Mori no Kuma-san), which you can sing by echoing like a yodel! Even if you haven’t completely memorized the lyrics, encouraging children with “Try singing after the teacher!” lets them naturally memorize the words as they sing.
Plus, since it has a solid story from beginning to end, it’s fun to learn as a narrative—another great point of this song.
It might be good to have them practice singing in rounds while expanding their imagination by showing a picture book or a paper-theater (kamishibai).
