Nursery rhymes perfect for April: A collection of classic spring songs that capture the season

Come, springSakushi: Soma Gyofu / Sakkyoku: Hirota Ryutaro

♪ Come, Spring – Haru Yo Koi | ♪ Come, spring, come quickly. Little Mii-chan, who has just begun to walk [Japanese song/children’s song]

This is a warmly beloved classic that sings of children eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring.

Somagofu’s richly poetic lyrics and Ryutaro Hirota’s gentle melody blend beautifully, soothing the hearts of listeners.

First published in 1923 in the magazine “Kin no Tori,” the song has been cherished ever since.

It’s even used as the departure jingle at Itoigawa Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen.

Around the time of school enrollment and advancement, this lovely piece gives a gentle push to children who feel both excitement and anxiety about new surroundings.

Sing it together, and your hearts are sure to feel as warm as a spring day.

Happy HinamatsuriKawamura Junko

[Song Anime] Happy Hinamatsuri (Sung by: Icchi & Naru)

It’s a gentle, heartwarming song that makes you feel cozy, just like the mild breezes of spring.

Junko Kawamura’s singing seems to tenderly embrace children who feel anxious about a new environment.

The lyrics, which depict scenes from Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day), convey the importance of family bonds and tradition.

Since its release in 1936, it has continued to be cherished in households across Japan.

It’s included on the albums “Junko Kawamura: The Path of Children’s Songs I” and “Junko Kawamura: The Path of Children’s Songs II,” so please give them a listen.

Singing it during kindergarten entry or when moving up a grade can ease children’s nerves and help everyone joyfully welcome spring.

lazyboneswarabe uta

Hamamatsu City: Introducing April's nursery rhymes for rhythmics (Eurhythmics)

The children’s song handed down in Saga Prefecture has horsetail shoots as its theme, heralding the arrival of spring.

The lyrics call out to the sprouts as they peek up from the soil.

There are many ways to enjoy it—swaying together as parent and child or playing with a cloth, for example.

Reflecting the local culture, it is a cherished tradition passed down across generations.

It also seems to encourage interaction with springtime nature and promote rhythm and language development.

Widely enjoyed by various ages in nursery schools and kindergartens, it is a lovely song that expresses hopes for children’s healthy growth.

Bamboo shoots are sprouting.warabeuta

[KBS Children's Songs] The Bamboo Shoot Sprouted

Through a traditional Japanese play song that evokes the arrival of spring, it gently wraps children’s hearts in warmth.

The key is choreography that engages the whole body—pressing both hands together above the head to show a sprout pushing up from the ground, or spreading both arms wide to mimic a flower in bloom.

The way it’s played varies slightly by region and has been passed down from parents to children.

It can be enjoyed not only as a hand game but also as a rock–paper–scissors game, making it popular among children in nursery schools and kindergartens.

Keeping rhythm while moving their hands and bodies, children naturally break into smiles.

This piece is a friendly song that eases the worries of children who feel anxious in new environments.

It is truly a perfect number for fostering children’s healthy growth and emotional richness.

Tonton FriendsSakushi: Satou Hachirou／Sakkyoku: Nakata Yoshinao

COCX 34142 18. Ton-ton Friends

The lyrics are by Hachirō Satō and the music by Yoshinao Nakada; it’s a children’s song that has been sung for many years.

With plenty of humor, it celebrates the strength of friendship among companions.

It features nine children labeled with the numbers 1 through 9, and their names are in an old-fashioned style.

It’s also fun to make a parody by substituting your classmates’ names.

spring breezeSakushi: Wada Tetsuzou / Sakkyoku: Hirose Ryouhei

Spring Breeze | Spring Song [Children's Song]

A charming classic that expresses the arrival of spring through the voice of the wind was created by Tetsuzo Wada and Ryohei Hirose.

The gently whispering breeze stroking the buds on the trees, playing the murmurs of a brook, and frolicking with grasses and flowers is depicted atop a warm melody.

Broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta” starting in April 1972, the clear voices of the Tokyo Arakawa Children’s Chorus further heightened the breath of spring.

This is a song you’ll want to hum together with children during the season when nature’s vitality awakens.

It will gently wrap the hearts of new nursery-school entrants, who may feel uneasy amid changing surroundings, like a soft spring breeze.

Green breezesakushi: shimizu katsura / sakkyoku: kusakawa shin

Japanese children's song: Midori no Soyokaze (The Green Breeze)

A children’s song depicting a spring scene, created by the famed duo Katsura Shimizu (lyrics) and Shin Kusakawa (music).

It features tranquil lyrics and a bright melody, and was first broadcast on NHK Radio in January 1948.

It portrays gentle, everyday images such as butterflies, pea blossoms, and a mother bird in a nest box.

Released during the postwar reconstruction period, it has been cherished by many as a symbol of a new era.

Its enduring appeal continues today, having been used in an Asahi Kasei Homes commercial in 2006 and in part for a Taisho Pharmaceutical commercial in 2019.

It’s a perfect song for children embarking on a fresh start with the arrival of spring.