[February Songs] Introducing children's songs, folk songs, nursery rhymes, and hand-play songs about Setsubun and winter!
February brings Setsubun and the chant “Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi!” In nurseries and kindergartens, there are likely many chances to sing songs related to Setsubun.
But in fact, there are plenty of songs perfect for February beyond just Setsubun tunes! In this article, we introduce songs connected to February and children’s songs that are perfect for the harshly cold season.
Many of them can be sung with hand-play motions, so children are sure to enjoy them.
Please make use of them on days when it’s too cold to play outside or during music time.
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- [For Seniors] February Songs You’ll Want to Hum: Enjoy Winter with Nostalgic Classics
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- [Setsubun Song] Demons out, fortune in! Bean-throwing songs to enjoy on Setsubun
- Timeless songs you’ll want to listen to in February: winter songs and Valentine’s songs.
- Songs for January: Nursery rhymes and fingerplay songs we want children to grow familiar with
- March nursery rhymes & hand play songs! Spring songs you can enjoy with your kids
- [Hand Play] Popular with kids! A collection of trendy hand-play songs and nostalgic traditional children’s songs
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- December children's songs, folk songs, and nursery rhymes: fun winter hand-play songs
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[February Songs] Introducing children’s songs, folk songs, nursery rhymes, and hand-play songs related to Setsubun and winter! (61–70)
Ogre’s HornsSakkyoku: Kutsuna Mika
This song was created as part of a eurhythmics (rhythmic education) program to warm children’s hearts during the chilly month of February.
It features a lively rhythm and playfully inventive melody, designed to help children enjoy and grow familiar with music.
Listening to it may bring back nostalgic memories of bean-throwing festivities at nursery schools and kindergartens.
It’s perfect not only for eurhythmics and music classes, but also for parents and children to enjoy at home.
Dance and sing with energy, and let’s get through the cold winter together.
Choco-choco chocolateSakushi Sakkyoku: Aramaki Shake Hirai Takato Kidsu Purannaa
In February, we shouldn’t forget not only Setsubun but also Valentine’s Day, which makes both boys and girls’ hearts race! The perfect song for Valentine’s Day is “Choco-Choco Chocolate.” When you think of Valentine’s, it’s got to be chocolate, right? There is a set of official lyrics, but if you change the shapes and flavors of the chocolate however you like as you sing, it becomes a more original song and even more fun! You can also enjoy it as a hand-play song by using your hands to make different chocolate shapes to match the lyrics while singing.
white friend(s)Sakkyoku: Sakata Osamu
This is a warm, heartfelt song depicting a child eagerly awaiting the snowmelt.
Created by Osamu Sakata, it was broadcast on NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho” in 2020.
The snow is personified as a “white friend,” tenderly expressing scenes of parting and reunion.
The lyrics, which are close to the hearts of young children, and the friendly melody are distinctive features.
The song evokes the transition from winter to spring, making it enjoyable for both adults and children.
It’s perfect for parents and kids to sing together, so why not hum along as a family and warm up on a cold day?
Rural Wintersakkyoku: Shimazaki Akataro
“Winter in the Countryside” evokes a tranquil village scene set in winter.
It was published in 1931 in Shin Jinjo Shogaku Shoka (5).
The song depicts a cold, snowy morning, featuring rice paddies, tree branches, and sparrows in its lyrics.
When singing it in kindergarten or nursery school, preparing illustrations of the scenery is also recommended.
Its somewhat nostalgic melody conveys feelings of fond remembrance and poignancy.
It’s a children’s song perfectly suited to the cold season of winter, with spring just around the corner.
Winter Song (Original: Bulgarian Folk Song)Sakkyoku: Furisto Nejarukofu
Here is a children’s song that aired on NHK’s “Minna no Uta” in 1971.
The original melody was composed by Bulgarian musician Hristo Nedyalkov, with lyrics in Japanese translated and adapted by Tamiko Nakayama, a translator and children’s author.
Nedyalkov served as the conductor of the Bulgarian National Sofia Children’s Choir and is said to have visited Japan.
With its lively melody and onomatopoeia preserved from the original, it’s a delightful piece that makes you feel as if you can hear a sleigh gliding across a snowy field.
Plum blossoms and nightingalesMonbushō shōka
Here is a Ministry of Education song that was published in 1911 for the second grade of elementary school.
It’s a cute and simple piece depicting a bush warbler coming to the plum tree in the garden.
Speaking of plums and bush warblers, you might recall the motif from hanafuda playing cards.
By the way, while plum blossoms and bush warblers often appear together as a metaphor for things that go well together, the “bush warbler” in this context is actually a Japanese white-eye.
It isn’t green, but rather a brownish or grayish color.
Knowing this little bit of trivia can make listening to the song even more enjoyable.
While Oni is awaywarabeuta
Speaking of Setsubun, bean-throwing—driving away oni, which symbolize evil—is essential, isn’t it? This is a children’s song that depicts preparing for the bean-throwing while the oni aren’t around.
The lyrics express the scene of roasting beans while the oni are away and the crackling sound of the beans ringing out.
Shaking the container to check the sound of the beans is also an important point, and it naturally connects to movement activities like swaying the body.
Using a shaker filled with real beans is recommended, as you can enjoy the sound while clearly conveying the mood of the song.
