Lovely childcare

[Hand Play] Popular with kids! A collection of trendy hand-play songs and nostalgic traditional children’s songs

20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.
9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.

Hand-play songs that you can sing and play are hugely popular with children, aren’t they?

As times change, lots of new hand-play songs have appeared, and through these songs you can really feel children’s interests and curiosity.

Trendy songs are fun, but we also want to cherish the traditional warabe-uta that have been sung for generations.

Their melodies are warm, the back-and-forth of the words is amusing, and the fact that you can sing them without a piano is also very appealing.

This time, we’ll introduce plenty of hand-play songs that are favorites with kids!

From trending hits popular in childcare settings to traditional warabe-uta, we’ve got a full lineup of hand-play games that will bring smiles to children’s faces.

Be sure to join in and play along!

[Hand Games] Popular with kids! A collection of trending hand-play songs and nostalgic traditional children’s songs (81–90)

Opened, openedwarabe uta

♪Opened, opened – Hiraita Hiraita | ♪Opened, opened, what flower has opened? [Japanese song / children’s song]

Opened, openedwarabe uta

Long beloved as a traditional Japanese children’s song, this piece enchants with lyrics that evoke the arrival of spring.

Children enjoy joining hands to form a circle and act out flowers opening and closing.

Despite its simple words and melody, it embodies Japanese views of nature and impermanence, giving it profound appeal.

It is often sung in kindergartens and nursery schools, contributing to children’s emotional development.

Passed down since the Edo period, this song is recommended for those who want to feel the spring season or experience traditional Japanese culture.

Why not sing it with your child and enjoy the coming of spring together?

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Shopping at the bakery

[Hand Play] Going Shopping at the Bakery ♪ (Maatan)

Shopping at the bakery

While playing both the customer and the baker, you can enjoy a fun hand-play activity set in a bakery—perhaps a relatively new song in the hand-play repertoire.

As you rhythmically act it out, you express different types of bread through gestures.

It might also be fun to come up with new kinds of bread yourselves and add corresponding gestures.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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kata-don, hiji-don

[Children’s Song] Katadon Hijidon

kata-don, hiji-don

“Katadon Hijidon” is a traditional children’s hand-play song.

You sing while touching your body from the shoulder to the elbow, wrist, and then each finger in order from the thumb to the little finger.

The names for each finger can be a bit tricky, but it’s very rhythmic and short, so it’s fun to play.

Start slowly at first, and once you get used to it, speed up little by little as you sing and play.

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In conclusion

We introduced some popular hand-play songs—what did you think? There were also hand plays related to seasons, events, and everyday habits. Try incorporating different hand plays to suit the occasion! Hand-play songs are easy to learn and can be enjoyed anywhere, making them perfect for filling small pockets of time. It’s also fun to try singing them faster or changing your voice! Enjoy a wonderful time with your child.