![[Parenting] Parent-child bonding! Hand-play songs and traditional nursery rhymes collection](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/F2wotumxyhc/maxresdefault.webp)
[Parenting] Parent-child bonding! Hand-play songs and traditional nursery rhymes collection
For children, hand-play songs where they sing and interact with familiar adults and friends are so much fun.
Hand-play songs and traditional nursery rhymes are said to have a very positive effect on children’s brain and emotional development.
It’s something we’d love to incorporate a lot into everyday life.
So this time, we’re introducing hand-play songs and nursery rhymes that parents and children can enjoy together.
From classic tunes everyone has heard to popular songs sung in daycare centers and kindergartens, there’s a lot to choose from!
Please try to find songs you can enjoy together that match your children’s age and interests.
Many of these songs have a good tempo and catchy melodies or phrases, so they’re easy to learn right away!
[Parenting] Parent-Child Bonding! Hand-Play Songs and Traditional Nursery Rhymes (1–10)
Pom-pom ExerciseSakushi: Sakura Tomoko / Sakkyoku: Ozawa Tatsuyuki
This song is a lively, energetic tune that’s perfect for parent–child interaction play.
With a rhythmic tempo, it’s designed so you can sing along while touching different parts of the body.
Gently tapping the head or shoulders in time with the lyrics helps children naturally learn the names of body parts.
It also incorporates swaying and jumping movements, so kids can build motor skills while having fun.
It’s great for morning exercises at nursery schools and kindergartens, as well as for parent–child bonding time.
Sing and dance together with your child, and you’re sure to share a wonderful time full of smiles.
Dango, dango, they stuck together.Sakushi / Sakkyoku: Nanbu Jidō Sentā
This is a hand game called “Dango dango, they’re stuck,” where you press both hands, made into fists, against your cheeks.
You pretend your fists are rice dumplings, and the funny part is that your hands ‘won’t come off’ once they’re stuck to your cheeks.
It seems more fun for an adult to demonstrate it rather than having the child do it—saying things like, “They’re stuck, I can’t get them off—help me!” Pull with all your might, and when they finally come off, everyone can celebrate together saying, “I’m glad they came off!” It’s an easy and fun hand game you can play during the moon-viewing festival or at New Year’s as well.
Which child is a good child?NEW!warabeuta
When children get together to play, do you ever wonder how to decide who’s “it” or who goes next? That’s exactly when this traditional children’s rhyme comes in handy.
You point to each child in turn in time with the rhythm, and the one chosen at the end becomes the next role—or gets a big hug—so everyone can enjoy both the thrill and the comfort it brings! It was also included on the album “NHK Nihongo de Asobo: Warabe-uta,” released in February 2007, and became widely known after being featured in segments of an educational TV program.
In dazzlingly green May, try forming a circle at a park on your walk or indoors, and enjoy the pleasant rhythm together with friends or as a parent and child.
Close It, Open ItNEW!sakushisha fushou
In dazzlingly fresh May greenery, don’t you feel like getting active and playing with the kids? That’s when the perfect choice is that familiar hand-play song with the motions of opening and closing your hands.
Simple yet irresistibly engaging for children, its melody is actually said to have its roots in an opera by the French thinker Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
In Japan, it became widely loved in its current form as a play song after being included in the May 1947 elementary school textbook First-Grade Music.
Its easy-to-remember rhythm and movements are also great for interacting with very young children who can’t speak yet.
How about trying it outdoors on a picnic, sitting face-to-face and playing together as parent and child?
Horn, horn, hoooorn!Suzuki Tsubasa・Fukuda Sho
The song game “Tsuno Tsuno Tsū-no” boosts kids’ sense of “I wonder what it is?” The choreography—gently swaying horn shapes made with the index fingers to a relaxed rhythm—is adorable.
The unique lyrics that make children think, “What’s going to come out next?” are fun and spark their curiosity, while also helping them develop the ability to listen attentively.
A flurry of animals appears one after another, so animal-loving kids will be thrilled.
For the final “None!” make sure to sing it out energetically and have fun.
Sushi sushi sushiSakushi/Sakkyoku: Taniguchi Kunihiro
Here’s a fun hand-play song themed around sushi that kids love.
Set to a rhythmic melody, it features memorable movements that evoke the sushi-making process—like fanning the rice and playfully poking to mimic the sharp kick of wasabi.
Moving their hands while singing can help children develop a sense of rhythm and cooperation.
It was featured on NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho” and is beloved by many families.
It’s perfect not only for activities in nurseries and kindergartens but also for enjoyable bonding time with your child.
It’s a superb piece that showcases the unique charm of Kunihiro Taniguchi’s play songs.
cleaning ragwarabeuta
This song is a hand play song that parents and children can enjoy together while interacting.
You pretend the baby’s or toddler’s body is a cleaning cloth, and gently act out motions like “sewing,” “washing,” “wringing,” and “wiping” in time with the lyrics.
With its rhythmic lyrics and simple moves, it’s easy for children to learn and they’ll soon be able to sing along.
The final wiping part is especially popular, where you hold the child’s feet and slide them across the floor.
Through this song, you can deepen parent–child bonding and nurture your child’s sense of rhythm and coordination.
It’s often sung at nurseries and kindergartens and is perfect for everyday moments of close interaction.