[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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[Parenting] Bond with your child! A collection of hand-play songs and traditional children's rhymes (11–20)
otebushitebushiwarabeuta
This is the traditional children’s song “Otebushi Tebushi,” which you can enjoy as a simple game.
Hold a marble-sized ball cupped in both hands and sway your hands from side to side in time with the song.
At the final chant, hide the ball by closing it in either your left or right hand.
Have the child guess which hand the ball is in.
Quickly hiding the ball in your hand is easy for adults, but it might be a bit difficult for children.
Until around age three, it may be best for an adult to sing and play along with the child.
Fukusuke-sanwarabeuta
This is the children’s song “Fukusuke-san,” a play-song using the toes.
As you sing, you pinch and stretch each toe one by one.
The song is about beans getting burnt, so please stir them quickly.
The lyrics include some dialect, so they’re a bit tricky, but since you tickle at the end of the song, your child will surely enjoy it.
This play-song also serves as a toe massage, so doing it after lots of play might feel good and make them happy.
It’s also recommended as a baby massage for infants.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your handsSakamoto Kyu
With its pop, cheerful melody and humorous choreography that matches the lyrics, “If You’re Happy and You Know It” has always been a hit with children.
Once they get used to the basic dance, try challenging them with different versions.
Add moves even to the parts of the song that don’t say “If you’re happy and you know it, ____,” or have the kids come up with their own ideas for the blank.
For example, they could tap their shoulders or give a wink—teachers are sure to be delighted by the children’s charming gestures.
men-men suu-suuwarabeuta
The traditional children’s song “Menmen Suusu” is great for interactive play with babies.
Through this song, your child can become aware of their face and head parts.
Lay your child on their back and, in time with the song, gently touch their eyes, nose, eyebrows, ears, and mouth in that order.
If your child is around one year old, you might also try playing while they’re sitting, using their hands to join in.
Since it can be dangerous to touch the eyes directly, gently tap just below the eyes instead.
Crocodile familySakushi: Kamitsubo Maya / Sakkyoku: Mine Akira
This is the children’s hand-play song “The Crocodile Family,” which is very popular with toddlers.
It’s often sung in preschool settings, too.
You make a crocodile’s mouth with both arms and open and close it to the rhythm of the song.
The family has five members: father, mother, big brother, big sister, and baby.
Besides the mouth movements, you can act out other motions—like the father shaving or the baby drinking milk.
It’s also fun to adapt it to your own family and create original actions.
Enjoy it together with your child!
Cobbler Cobbler, mend my shoe
This is a simple and charming Mother Goose nursery rhyme about asking a cobbler to repair a treasured pair of shoes.
In the lyrics, a child urges the craftsman to finish by two-thirty, specifying the time, and promises to pay if the shoes are properly mended.
Although the exact author is unknown, the song has a long history and was already popular in Britain and the United States from the 18th to 19th centuries.
It’s also useful in educational settings because it helps children learn how to tell time and practice numbers.
You can even play it as a game by passing shoes to the rhythm, making it perfect for lively fun with friends and family.
This piece fosters a love of taking care of one’s belongings, too—so try singing it together with your child while keeping the beat!
[Parenting] Parent-child bonding! Hand play songs and traditional nursery rhymes collection (21–30)
Tokyo-to Nihonbashiwarabeuta
Let’s try the tickling game “Tokyo-to Nihonbashi.” Have your child hold out either their right or left hand, and touch the back or palm of their hand to the rhythm of the song.
Like climbing stairs, walk your index and middle fingers up their arm from the bottom to the top, then gently tickle different parts of their body.
At first, your child might look puzzled and wonder what’s going on, but after a few repeats they’ll start to enjoy it, thinking, “Where will I be tickled next?” It’s simple, so give it a try together as a parent and child.