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!
- Nursery rhymes to sing to your baby! Recommended songs enjoyable from 0 months
- [Children's Songs] Cute songs recommended for childcare. List of popular nursery rhymes.
- [Lullabies] Gentle songs to help babies sleep — soothing lullabies for your little one
- Baby massage song. A touch-and-play song that parents and children can enjoy together.
- [Hand Play] Popular with kids! A collection of trendy hand-play songs and nostalgic traditional children’s songs
- [For 0-year-olds] Recommended songs for babies: A special feature on bonding play and traditional nursery rhymes
- [Childcare] Summer songs: Full of fun! Summer nursery rhymes & finger-play songs
- Lullabies: children's songs, folk songs, and nursery rhymes. Nostalgic songs for putting children to sleep.
- [Parenting] Parent-child bonding! Hand-play songs and traditional nursery rhymes collection
- Lullaby Rankings [2026]
- Music you want your baby to listen to: classical, sleep music, nursery rhymes, and BGM.
- [Childcare] Play and games for 0-year-old babies: Fun developmental and educational activities
- Ranking of Popular Children's Songs [2026]
Nursery rhymes and play songs to enjoy with your baby: Gentle children's songs (31–40)
Playing bus (pretend bus play)Sakushi: Kayama Yoshiko / Sakkyoku: Yuyama Akira
This lively children’s song by Yoshiko Kayama and Akira Yuyama captures the excitement of setting off on a trip in a big bus.
Set to a rhythmic melody, it gently portrays children enjoying pretend play with vehicles.
It’s a song you can sing while moving your hands and body, so it naturally brings smiles to children’s faces.
Long cherished in childcare and educational settings, it’s also used as a play song.
With spring outing season approaching, why not sing it together as a family before a walk or a day out? If everyone enjoys it while keeping the beat, it will surely create wonderful memories in children’s hearts.
a big drum
“Ookina Taiko” (The Big Drum) is a children’s song you can enjoy while sensing dynamics in sound.
The lyrics were written by Junichi Kobayashi, one of the lyricists who adapted “Jingle Bells” into Japanese, and the music was composed by Yoshinao Nakata, known for children’s songs like “Medaka no Gakkō.” The lyrics describe how striking a big drum makes a loud sound, while striking a small drum makes a soft sound.
When you sing it, match your voice to the lyrics: use a big voice for the big drum parts and a small voice for the small drum parts.
This helps children feel the contrast between big and small, and enjoy those changes.
Don’t forget the drumming gestures—try singing it with the motions, too!
In conclusion
How did you like the nursery rhymes and play songs for babies? Many of the songs had bright yet gentle melodies, didn’t they? Slower tunes are great for lullabies and baby massage. With play songs, babies will be delighted if you hold their hands and move them together, or help them move their bodies. I hope your time with your baby becomes even more enjoyable, even if just a little.