![[Hand Play] Popular with kids! A collection of trendy hand-play songs and nostalgic traditional children’s songs](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/cbL6RfJDiXI/maxresdefault.webp)
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!
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[Hand Games] Popular with Kids! Trendy Hand-Play Songs & Nostalgic Traditional Children’s Songs (1–10)
the temple’s head monk
The temple monk—this hand game song is well-known, isn’t it? It uses hand movements to show the monk sowing pumpkin seeds and how they grow.
At the end, you play rock-paper-scissors.
The lyrics vary by region and generation, and there are many arranged versions; some take lots of detours while depicting the seeds’ growth process.
Vegetable Song
“The Vegetable Song” is full of vegetable names.
It repeats parts of the names and distinctive features of the vegetables to make a fingerplay song.
It seems like kids can have fun singing while learning the names of vegetables.
The steady, simple rhythm makes it easy for little children to sing and play along.
You could probably adapt it to play with animal names or other foods, too.
Tengu fanwarabeuta
It’s a fun hand-play song inspired by the traditional Japanese yokai Tengu and a paper fan.
You sing while mimicking the flapping motion of fanning with a round uchiwa, which makes it perfect for fostering children’s imagination and expressive skills.
The lyrics are simple and easy to remember, and the rhythm is lively, so it’s enjoyable to repeat.
It’s also easy to incorporate into activities at kindergartens and nursery schools.
This song is included in “Asobi Uta 100” and is widely used in educational settings.
Singing and dancing together with your child will create a wonderful time full of smiles.
Denderaryuba
It’s a famous children’s song handed down in Nagasaki Prefecture.
Many people outside Nagasaki may also have learned it in kindergarten or elementary school.
The dialect heard in the lyrics leaves a strong impression and feels a bit like wordplay.
Even children who don’t yet understand words can enjoy it, and those who can speak well can have fun with it like a tongue twister! It’s even more enjoyable when combined with hand motions.
fig carrot
“Ichijiku Ninjin” is a counting song that uses the names of foods and plants.
The lyrics start with figs (ichijiku) and go on to list items like carrots (ninjin) whose names contain numbers.
The choreography matches the lyrics by raising fingers to show the numbers, and numbers 5 and above are shown with both hands.
By the way, the foods and plants that appear in this counting song actually vary by region, so some people may be more familiar with versions that include shiso (perilla) or tōgarashi (chili pepper).
Ochara-ka-hoi
Children have always loved the hand-clapping song that starts with the chant, “Se-se-se no yoi yoi yoi,” haven’t they? In this song, called “Ocharaka Hoi,” you alternately clap hands facing up and down with yourself and your partner, then play rock-paper-scissors.
The winner strikes a winning pose, and the loser takes a losing pose.
You repeat this over and over.
It’s a hand-clapping game that can go on forever.
Knock knock knock knock, Grandpa with a beard
It’s a classic, well-known hand game song that moms and dads, as well as grandparents, are familiar with.
You make both hands into fists and tap them together, using your clenched hands to represent “Bearded Old Man,” “Bumpy Old Man,” “Tengu,” and “Glasses.” At the end, you open your hands into palms facing up and place them on your knees.
You can also change it up by placing them somewhere other than your knees.