Nursery rhymes and play songs to enjoy with your baby. Gentle children's songs.
We’d like to introduce some nursery songs to enjoy with your baby.
These days, many babies are exposed to music from the time they’re in the womb through prenatal education.
Some families sing nursery rhymes as lullabies to help put their babies to sleep.
In this article, we’ve gathered gentle nursery songs and lullabies you’ll want to listen to with your baby, along with playful songs great for childcare and popular anime tunes.
They’re all fun songs that even babies who don’t understand words yet can enjoy.
Please try listening together as a parent and child.
Also perfect for baby massage!
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Nursery rhymes and play songs to enjoy with your baby. Gentle children's songs (21–30)
butterfly
We’d like to introduce “Chōchō,” a hand-play song with delightfully gentle, floating hand movements.
Based on a Spanish folk tune and arranged by Akiashi Nomura, this song has long been beloved by many children.
The lyrics depict a butterfly fluttering about, moving from flower to flower.
Matching the words, you form a butterfly shape with both hands to express it dancing.
The mesmerizing motions and soothing melody are sure to comfort babies.
What color do you like?
“What’s the name of my favorite color?” With the song “Which Color Do You Like?” kids can have fun singing while learning color names.
Children, who are naturally curious about the world around them, are likely feeling, even without saying it out loud, “I like this color” as they see many colors every day.
It’s great to tell them each time, “This is [color],” but learning through a song might make it easier to match the names with the colors.
As you sing, find the same colors in the things around you and in the clothes you’re wearing, and enjoy learning the names of colors.
Nursery rhymes and play songs to enjoy with your baby: Gentle children's songs (31–40)
a round egg
“Maarui Tamago” is a hand-play song themed around eggs, and the hand movements that match the onomatopoeia and mimetic words give a delightfully fun impression.
First, you put your hands together to represent a round egg.
Then you act out the egg cracking and a chick emerging from inside.
Since it features many onomatopoeic and mimetic expressions that children tend to love, it’s likely to capture their interest even more.
Another fun point is that sometimes a creature that doesn’t exist in real life hatches from the egg.
Rolling Eggs
The hand-play song “Korokoro Tamago,” which repeats the same motions, is also recommended.
It depicts an egg rolling, a chick that hatches and walks, and a grown chicken crowing.
You show the egg by making a fist and rolling your arms, the chick by moving your index finger up and down, and the chicken by flapping your hands.
All the motions are simple, so it’s considered easy for children to imitate from an early stage.
Another appeal is that kids can enjoy moving their bodies in big, dynamic ways.
Panda, rabbit, koala
How about “Panda, Rabbit, Koala,” a hand-play song that became widely popular thanks to the NHK educational program Okaasan to Issho (With Mother)? The song is known for having lyrics written by Hiroo Takada.
It invites children to imitate the movements of the panda, rabbit, and koala that appear in the lyrics.
Its appeal also lies in the built-in variations and game-like elements, such as the tempo gradually speeding up.
Adding brief explanations between verses—like “Let’s line them up!”—might make it even more enjoyable.
Cute Hide and SeekSakushi: Satou Hachirou／Sakkyoku: Nakata Yoshinao
This is a gentle children’s song about a game of hide-and-seek played by adorable animals.
Hatchlings, sparrows, and puppies try their best to conceal themselves, warmly portrayed in the words of Hachirō Satō, with Yoshinao Nakada’s melody enhancing its charm even further.
First released in 1951, the piece has inspired children’s playfulness and curiosity toward animals.
The thrilling hide-and-seek unfolds in everyday scenes—gardens, rooftops, and meadows.
It’s perfect for singing with your child in fresh, green May, while thinking of the animals you might meet on a walk.
The rhythm of the lyrics and the friendly melody truly seem to express the joy of spring.
Story FingerSakushi: Kayama Yoshiko / Sakkyoku: Yuyama Akira
This is a heartwarming children’s song that you can enjoy while doing hand play.
By imagining your fingers as cute family members, it unfolds like a conversation between characters, so it’s great fun to sing while moving your fingers together with your child! Created by Yoshiko Kayama and Akira Yuyama, the piece was first introduced in February 1962 on the NHK radio program “Toddler Time,” and has been included on many classic recordings, such as the album “Children’s Songs by Age (2) Ages 1–2.” Its simple lyrics and melody are charming and perfect for parent-child bonding.
Widely loved as a staple hand-play song that’s hugely popular in kindergartens and nursery schools, it has also been featured on NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho.” The bright, cheerful melody makes it easy to sing and is sure to bring a smile to your child’s face.