[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!
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- [For 0-year-olds] Recommended songs for babies: A special feature on bonding play and traditional nursery rhymes
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- [Hand Play] Popular with kids! A collection of trendy hand-play songs and nostalgic traditional children’s songs
- Get excited! A list of popular and fun hand games that captivate children
- Kids go wild! Popular hand games and fun sing-alongs
- Popular hand games and hand game songs for toddlers and children! Full of ideas for childcare/early childhood education.
- Handkerchief and Towel Play! A Collection of Fun Play Ideas
- [Children's Songs] Cute songs recommended for childcare. List of popular nursery rhymes.
- Nursery rhymes to sing to your baby! Recommended songs enjoyable from 0 months
- Ideas for Performances Recommended for 0-Year-Olds at Recitals and Play Events
- [For 1-year-olds] Fun Together! Recommended Songs and Hand Play Collection
- Snow Songs to Enjoy in Winter! Children's Snow Nursery Rhymes & Hand-Play Songs
[Parenting] Parent-Child Bonding! Hand-Play Songs and Traditional Nursery Rhymes (61–70)
Bamboo shoots are sprouting.warabeuta
Through a traditional Japanese play song that evokes the arrival of spring, it gently wraps children’s hearts in warmth.
The key is choreography that engages the whole body—pressing both hands together above the head to show a sprout pushing up from the ground, or spreading both arms wide to mimic a flower in bloom.
The way it’s played varies slightly by region and has been passed down from parents to children.
It can be enjoyed not only as a hand game but also as a rock–paper–scissors game, making it popular among children in nursery schools and kindergartens.
Keeping rhythm while moving their hands and bodies, children naturally break into smiles.
This piece is a friendly song that eases the worries of children who feel anxious in new environments.
It is truly a perfect number for fostering children’s healthy growth and emotional richness.
Not bad, hoi! A children’s songwarabeuta
Traditional children’s songs that have been passed down for generations are still loved today as play that kids can fully enjoy for their rhythms, melodies, and ways to play.
With their relaxed, simple tempo and short length, they’re perfect for a little fun anytime—whether on your own or with friends.
You can add finger play or gestures, too.
It’s also nice to try playing with handmade props.
There are many possible arrangements, so there are countless ways to play.
Another charm is that they can be enjoyed together with older adults as well.
lazyboneswarabe uta
The children’s song handed down in Saga Prefecture has horsetail shoots as its theme, heralding the arrival of spring.
The lyrics call out to the sprouts as they peek up from the soil.
There are many ways to enjoy it—swaying together as parent and child or playing with a cloth, for example.
Reflecting the local culture, it is a cherished tradition passed down across generations.
It also seems to encourage interaction with springtime nature and promote rhythm and language development.
Widely enjoyed by various ages in nursery schools and kindergartens, it is a lovely song that expresses hopes for children’s healthy growth.
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?
egg eggSakushi / Sakkyoku: Muroki Michiru
“I wonder what will come out when the egg cracks?” This is the hand play game “Tamago Tamago,” which captivates children and nurtures their imagination.
It uses both hands to show the egg cracking.
Play it with children and it’s sure to be a hit! It starts with a chick, then levels up to a snake, a penguin, or even a monster—sure to bring smiles to their faces.
It might be fun to build excitement by asking, “What will be born next?”
TulipSakushi: Kondo Miyako / Sakkyoku: Inoue Takeshi
Don’t you ever feel a rush of excitement just from listening to children’s songs? With lyrics by Miyako Kondo and music by Takeshi Inoue, this piece is a beloved favorite among children, celebrating the arrival of spring when colorful flowers bloom.
The melody is easy to remember and the lyrics are simple, so children quickly find themselves humming along.
It was released in July 1932 and recorded the following year.
At kindergarten entrance ceremonies, it would be lovely for the current students to sing it to welcome the newcomers.
If everyone sings together, it will surely ease the nerves and make for a joyful ceremony!
Rolling EggsSakushi: Mado Michio / Sakkyoku: Fushou
The action song “Korokoro Tamago,” which repeats the same motions, is also recommended.
It depicts an egg rolling, a chick that hatches and walks, and then a grown chicken crowing.
You show the egg by making a fist and rotating your arms, the chick by moving your index finger up and down, and the chicken by flapping your hands.
All the movements are simple, so even infants can enjoy playing along.
It’s also appealing that children can have fun making big, whole-body movements.
