Let's sing together! A collection of nursery rhymes everyone knows
Nursery songs that many people have sung in day-care centers, kindergartens, and schools.
These children’s songs, passed down through generations, are still sung today in childcare settings, schools, and even senior facilities.
That said, fewer people are singing them nowadays, and some children can be found who don’t know nursery songs at all.
In this article, we’ll introduce nursery songs that everyone—young and old—will recognize.
If you’re not very familiar with nursery songs, start by listening to the ones we introduce here.
Try singing nursery songs together with your child, your friends, or your grandparents, and have fun!
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[Sing along together!] A collection of nursery rhymes everyone knows (11–20)
I accidentally broke the clarinet.Sakushi: Ishii Yoshiko / Sakkyoku: Furansu dōyō
Though widely known as a French song, “I Tore My Clarinet Apart” lacks definitive evidence of French origin and has an unknown lyricist and composer, making it a rather mysterious piece.
The original is said to be a marching song called “The Onion Song,” with an anecdote that it was sung to boost troop morale in the Napoleonic era.
The tongue-twister-like chorus lyrics are in French, and when translated, they mean “Comrades, let us advance together,” which, heard that way, makes it sound like a spirited march.
In Japan, it was sung by the Dark Ducks, who also released it on record.
Hearing “I Tore My Clarinet Apart” in rich male voices might feel refreshingly new.
Mr. ElephantSakushi: Mado Michio / Sakkyoku: Dan Ikuma
A children’s song that lets you feel the warm bond between a baby elephant and its mother.
The lyrics were written by Michio Mado, who also created famous nursery songs such as “Yagi-san Yubin” and “Ichinensei ni Nattara.” This song portrays a baby elephant being teased by others for its long trunk, yet proudly feeling that its long trunk matches its beloved mother’s.
The gentle duple-meter melody would make a nice lullaby.
Released in September 2017, this song invites you to listen with the hope that parents and children can stay close forever, just like the elephant parent and child.
Calendar MarchSakushi: Ide Takao / Sakkyoku: Fukuda Wakako
A lively march bursting with seasonal scenery and events from January to December.
Created by Takao Ide and Wakako Fukuda, this piece makes you feel as if you’re taking a year-long trip just by singing it.
There’s a record of it being included in an NHK Publishing sheet music collection in September 1973, and it has long been loved through NHK children’s programs and more.
Its energetic marching rhythm will make you want to swing your arms and legs wide and start walking.
The lyrics for March, which evoke the arrival of spring, also appear, making it perfect for this season of preschool graduations and moving up to the next grade.
As a home or preschool activity, be sure to sing it with the children while moving your bodies together.
TulipSakushi: Kondo Miyako / Sakkyoku: Inoue Takeshi
Announcing the arrival of spring, this song overflows with warmth that gently embraces children’s hearts.
It tenderly depicts tulips in full bloom—red, white, yellow, and more—conveying a beautiful message that celebrates the diversity of flowers.
Written in 1931 by Miyako Kondo with music by Takeshi Inoue, this children’s song was crafted in clear, friendly language for kindergarteners.
How about singing it with your child while pointing to the tulips you find on a spring walk? The moment their eyes light up at the flowers’ beauty will surely become a cherished memory.
KintaroSakushi: Ishihara Wasaburō / Sakkyoku: Tamura Torazō
This is a children’s song that depicts a sturdy boy wrestling a bear on Mount Ashigara.
Written by Wasaburō Ishihara and composed by Torazō Tamura, it was published in June 1900 in “Shōnen Shōka, First Edition, Upper Volume.” As a representative children’s song that sings about a folktale hero in words familiar to children, it remains beloved today.
The bold figure carrying a hatchet and practicing horse-riding is vividly expressed through a lively two-beat rhythm and spirited calls that make it easy to sing while moving the body.
Because it conveys strength and energy, it’s perfect for singing with children in childcare settings or at home who are starting to take an interest in animals and folktales.
Add handclaps and gestures while singing, and it’s sure to be even more exciting.
horse (childish/affectionate term)Sakushi: Hayashi Ryūha / Sakkyoku: Matsushima Tsune
This piece portrays a foal walking clip-clop alongside its mother, set to a gentle rhythm.
Lyricist Yanaha Hayashi is said to have written the words based on the scene of a mare and foal he saw at the Imperial Stock Farm in Chiba, weaving the affection between animal mother and child in simple language.
Composer Tsune Matsushima aimed for a vocal range and phrasing that are easy for lower elementary grades to sing, and created accompaniment that is easy to play on keyboard or harmonica.
After being included in the February 1941 national school textbook “Uta no Hon, Upper,” it continued to be adopted in textbooks by various publishers after the war, and in 2007 it was selected for the “100 Best Japanese Songs.” It fits naturally into kindergarten and preschool choruses, and it’s easy to incorporate into fingerplay or instrumental ensembles.
If parents and children sing it together, they can have fun imitating the sound of hoofbeats.
[Let’s Sing Together!] A Collection of Well-Known Children’s Songs (21–30)
Adorable foalSakushi: Satō Hachirō / Sakkyoku: Niki Takio
This song warmly portrays the life of a foal and a child, while carrying a curious, poignant sense of the times quietly creeping in.
You dry the foal’s wet mane, run together, and eventually part ways.
Such scenes unfold alongside rhythmic calls and responses.
The lyricist, Hachirō Satō, was active across a wide range from children’s songs to popular music, and the composer, Takio Niki, was a seasoned talent also known for film scores.
The work was released in December 1940 and broadcast nationwide the following January 1941 on NHK’s “National Songs.” It is closely connected to the film “Uma” (Horse), and has long been loved, later even featured in animated films.
Singing it as a family invites reflections on life in earlier times, and in early childhood settings it can be enjoyed as a play activity by imitating a foal’s movements.