Children’s Songs You Can Sing in August: Summer-Friendly Kids’ Songs and Fingerplay Rhymes
Here are nursery rhymes and fingerplay songs for August that you can sing and enjoy! We’ve got a full lineup: songs that capture the fun of summer, tunes about tasty foods you’ll crave in the heat, and songs perfect for August events.
We also introduce tracks you can enjoy with fingerplays and dances, so try using them for indoor play during the sweltering summer or for activities in childcare settings.
Many are classic summer songs that have been passed down for generations, making them perfect for family time at home as well.
Teach children summer songs and enjoy a delightful time together while reminiscing about the past!
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[Children’s Songs You Can Sing in August] Summer-Friendly Kids’ Songs & Hand-Play Songs (41–50)
Row the boat
We’d like to introduce the hand-play song “Ofune o Koide,” which is perfect for keeping things fun and cheerful even in the hot summer.
Moving in a way that feels like you’re rowing a boat to a pleasant rhythm naturally brings smiles to everyone’s faces.
The lyrics convey scenes like swaying waves and blowing wind, letting you feel as if you’re actually out at sea on an adventure.
It also sounds fun to sit facing a friend, hold hands, and do it together! Adding a sound effect like “Splash!” between sections of the song will make it even more exciting.
Give it a try for inspiration!
The Goldfish’s Nap
The relaxed song “Goldfish’s Nap” is a popular children’s nursery rhyme.
If you sing it as a lullaby at nap time, some kids find it so soothing that they fall asleep right away.
The gentle movements of the goldfish—and the moments when it seems to pause completely—are adorable and make it feel as if the goldfish itself is napping.
The lyrics are easy to remember, so if you sing it repeatedly, children can sing along.
It’s also recommended to sing it together with a picture book that features goldfish.
When the Dock (Japanese knotweed) blooms
Let me introduce “When the Dock Blooms,” a song with a gentle melody and a bright tempo.
It’s a song about a flower called sukanpo (dock) that blooms in spring.
This warm children’s song evokes nostalgia, depicting children playing happily and energetically in the fields.
Because it includes repeated phrases that help you feel the season, even children around two years old can enjoy joining in.
Of course, it’s also a soothing piece for babies from 0 years old to listen to.
Be sure to try singing it with your children.
Water Gun Song
Let me introduce a fingerplay for “The Water Gun Song,” perfect for water play or before getting into the pool.
This lively song lets kids feel the unique fun and sense of freedom of summertime water play.
The motion of pretending your fingers are a water gun and going “pew-pew” helps develop fingertip dexterity, imagination, and a sense of rhythm.
The tempo is slow, so even younger children can enjoy joining in.
Various plants and flowers like dahlias and maple leaves appear in the song, so showing real examples or photos may help children picture them more easily.
It’s also fun to swap in familiar plants and playground equipment from your schoolyard into the lyrics.
Give it a try!
ice cream
Ice cream that both kids and adults love! It tastes especially good in the hot summer, doesn’t it? Here’s a hand-play activity themed around ice cream.
In this activity, the song includes hand motions like mixing ingredients such as milk and eggs and cooling them, so children can enjoy it as if they’re playing make-believe, which nurtures their imagination.
It’s perfect for food education, too.
We also recommend expanding the play by making different flavors based on the children’s requests—like strawberry, chocolate, grape, or melon! Give it a try and make some delicious ice cream together!
Let’s go to the forest.
When you want to feel like you’re in a forest, the perfect song is “Let’s Go to the Forest.” This warm, heartfelt song lets you feel the joy of playing in nature and the gentle comfort of the woods.
If you sing it while picturing the green trees, chirping birds, and the pleasant breeze, both the singer and the listeners will feel as if they’re actually in the forest.
The key is to sing each word clearly and brightly.
It’s a song full of charm that naturally brings joy—sing it with excitement, letting your body bounce to the rhythm, and you’ll find yourself having fun.
Morning on the Ranch
It is said that the lyrics of “Morning on the Ranch” were written with Iwase Farm in Kagamiishi, Fukushima Prefecture as their model.
The lyrics depict the ranch at daybreak, shrouded in mist, interweaving scenes of sound and light along with the people working on the ranch and the sheep.
Describing how morning arrives on the wide ranch and a new day begins, the song’s lyrics are also included in elementary school textbooks.
Asking children what kinds of animals might be on a ranch, or explaining the kinds of work people do there, may help them form a clearer image of the piece.