[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!
- Parent–child interactive play. Fun activities popular in childcare settings and at parent–child observation days.
- [For 0-year-olds] Recommended songs for babies: A special feature on bonding play and traditional nursery rhymes
- Baby massage song. A touch-and-play song that parents and children can enjoy together.
- [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 children's rhymes collection (41–50)
Chochi chochi awawa.warabeuta
Traditional Japanese nursery rhymes are a charming way to spend quality time with your baby.
With endearing hand and facial movements, look your child in the eyes and gently hold hands as you play together.
Perfect for deepening the bond between caregivers and children, this work has been featured in various educational programs and events, and its appeal has been passed down across generations.
You can play with your baby on your lap or while lying down, allowing you to adapt flexibly to their condition and mood.
With a caregiver’s gentle singing and warm touch, enjoy a delightful time filled with your baby’s smiles.
A-I-U-E-O nigiriSakushi Sakkyoku: Shuu Saeko
A bright, rhythmic tune themed around the joy and smiles of making rice balls as a family.
With lyrics that spark curiosity and imagination about everyday ingredients, it captivates children’s hearts.
First broadcast on NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho” in April 2001, the song has been covered by many artists, including Satoko Yamano and the Himawari Kids.
It’s used in nursery schools and kindergartens as part of food education, and it’s also recommended to hum along at home while making onigiri with your child.
Get on the busSakushi sakkyoku: Taniguchi Kunihiro
Kunihiro Taniguchi’s rhythmic children’s song is brimming with charm, inviting listeners to vividly imagine the fun of riding in vehicles.
Set to a gently swaying melody, it’s a piece that lets you express with your whole body the bus’s rocking motion and the thrill of turning.
Released in May 2008 and later included in the September 2020 album “Teacher Ti’s Kids Love It! Play Songs,” the track has also been featured on NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho” and is frequently sung at nursery school and kindergarten events.
As a hand-play song that children can enjoy together, it’s a perfect choice for family bonding time and making memories.
Animal Exercises 1-2-3Sakushi • Sakkyoku: Abe Naomi
A charming exercise song that lets kids joyfully move their bodies, taking inspiration from animal gestures.
It starts with a gentle rhythm and is packed with ideas that naturally make children want to move—jumping together to the music, swinging their arms wide—while helping develop their motor skills.
It has frequently been featured on popular preschool TV shows like NHK Educational’s “Inai Inai Baa!” and “Okaasan to Issho,” and covers by various artists have also drawn attention.
Perfect not only for sports days and morning exercise time, but also for celebrating Children’s Day with the whole family.
Picnicdeguchi takashi
A song that gently portrays the fun of a picnic in a meadow and warm interactions with flowers and insects, highlighted by Takashi Deguchi’s uniquely soothing vocals.
Released on an album in November 2022, it was also featured on a children’s educational TV program.
Perfect as a fingerplay song for singing and dancing with kids—ideal for activities at daycare and kindergarten, as well as family bonding time.
Since numbers appear in the lyrics, it’s also great for practicing counting!
tea pickingbunkashō shōka
Published in 1912 (the 45th year of the Meiji era), this piece is a song that conveys Japan’s cherished traditional culture and the beauty of nature.
It gently depicts the early-summer scenery that arrives around the 88th night of spring and the scenes of tea picking, featuring a light, approachable melody.
Its rhythmical lyrics, aligned with the motions of tea picking, also carry elements of a work song.
In 2007, it was selected for the “100 Best Japanese Songs” by the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the National PTA Council of Japan, and it has been featured in various contexts such as children’s songs, anime, and TV dramas.
While tea picking may not be very familiar to people today, why not enjoy it with your children as an opportunity to experience traditional Japanese culture?
Song of a little birdsakushi: Yoda Jun’ichi / sakkyoku: Akutagawa Yasushi
This charming children’s song features a bright, light melody and adorable onomatopoeia that evokes birds chirping.
Depicting a little bird gently calling for its mother and father, it was released in 1954, and its tender lyrics expressing love for parents have warmed hearts across generations.
Many people likely sang it in nursery school or kindergarten when they were young.
In educational settings, it is often sung during May’s Bird Week.
It’s a perfect song for families to enjoy together with hand-play actions.