[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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- Popular hand games and hand game songs for toddlers and children! Full of ideas for childcare/early childhood education.
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- [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
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[Parenting] Parent-Child Bonding! Hand-Play Songs and Traditional Nursery Rhymes (71–80)
Head, Shoulders, Knees—pon!Sakushi: Fushō / Sakkyoku: Igirisu minyō
Have fun touching your own body with “Head, Shoulders, Knees—Clap!” It’s sung to the melody of the English nursery rhyme “London Bridge Is Falling Down.” As you sing, touch the body parts mentioned in the lyrics—touch your head for “head,” and you can point to your eyes or nose, for example.
After touching your knees, clap once.
First, show your child the gestures, then have them imitate you, or gently guide their hands and move together.
It’s also a great opportunity for them to learn the names of their body parts and discover where each one is.
Knock knock knock knock, Grandpa with a beardSakushi: Fushō / Sakkyoku: Tamayama Hidenobu
A nursery rhyme you can enjoy with hand play: “Ton ton ton ton Hige Jiisan” (Knock, knock, knock, knock, Grandpa with a Beard).
You sing while using both hands to represent the characters in the lyrics.
If you place your clenched fists at your chin, you’re a grandpa with a beard; if you place your clenched fists on your cheeks, you’re the grandpa with distinctive bumps.
In this way, do the hand motions as you sing.
Seeing different people appear using just your hands will make your child curious and think, “What’s that?” Because the movements aren’t complicated, it’s an easy hand-play song even for one-year-olds to try.
Gonbe-san’s BabySakushi: Tashiga Akira / Sakkyoku: Amerika min’yō
Gonbe-san’s Baby was created based on an American folk song.
It’s a song featuring a character named Gonbe-san—who covers his head with a tenugui and ties it under his chin—and a baby.
It depicts a scene where the baby catches a cold, and you use your hands to show actions like holding the baby and having a bright idea.
You can enjoy a unique move where, in a fluster, you end up putting a cold compress on yourself by mistake.
Once you’re used to it, try picking up the tempo.
Give this hand play a try and make the most of this familiar melody that everyone has heard at least once.
Let’s clap our handsSakushi: Kobayashi Jun’ichi / Sakkyoku: Chekosurobakia min’yō
“Te o Tatakimashou” (“Let’s Clap Our Hands”) is a song where children can enjoy a variety of movements and expressions in time with the lyrics.
Because it includes expressions of emotions like laughing and getting angry, it helps draw out many different faces and feelings from the children.
If the teacher really goes all-in and performs a bit exaggeratedly, the kids will likely join in freely as well.
Seeing their cute faces working so hard to express themselves is sure to be heartwarming.
Since it uses the whole body, incorporating it before a main activity—such as during a morning meeting—should be a fun way to get everyone loosened up.
Vegetable SongYamano Satoko
Welcome to the wonderful world of vegetables! This song, hugely popular with children, is full of clever ways to help them learn the names of vegetables in a fun, rhythmic way.
With sounds that express the names and characteristics of veggies like tomatoes and cabbage, just listening will fill you with excitement.
Accompanied by Satoko Yamano’s bright and gentle voice, the vegetables make their appearances one after another.
This piece is included in many children’s music albums.
It’s also recommended for nutrition education time or for singing together with kids who aren’t fond of vegetables.
If you sing while moving your body, it becomes even more fun!
yomogi-jōbu nowarabeuta
“Yomogi Joubu no” is a heartwarming children’s song that depicts children growing up alongside the blessings of nature.
From the lyrics about a game where kids playfully tap each other’s bottoms with mugwort and iris, you can sense old-fashioned playfulness and the wisdom of people who believed in the power of plants.
Its simple melody and lyrics are easy to remember and seem likely to spread naturally among children.
It’s perfect for singing during spring flower-viewing or outdoor activities.
If you sing while moving your body, it’s sure to bring out lots of smiles from the kids.
Singing together in a circle also makes for wonderful shared memories.
Full Moon Night’s Mochi Poundingwarabeuta
This is “Jūgoya-san no Mochitsuki,” a game you’ll want to play on a beautiful moonlit night.
It’s played in pairs.
One person pounds the mochi, and the other kneads it.
The person pounding claps vertically to the rhythm.
The kneader watches for the moment when the pounder’s hands separate, then flips and kneads the mochi between their hands.
It hurts if your hands get caught, so be sure to feel the rhythm as you play.
Once one person succeeds, switch roles and try again.
