Nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs about food
“Food” is something very familiar to children, isn’t it?
When they start speaking, many first learn words like “mamma,” or they remember the names of their favorite foods.
In this article, we’ve picked out “songs about food” from among many nursery rhymes.
We’ll introduce plenty of songs that feature foods kids love, like fruit, bread, and curry rice.
Some of them aren’t just for singing—you can enjoy hand games and dancing, too.
Even children who find eating difficult or are picky eaters might enjoy singing these songs.
It would be great if singing during mealtimes helps them have more fun and eat a little more.
Nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs about food (1–10)
Ghost PancakesTokyo Haiji
There are many nursery rhymes about ghosts, but this one is interesting for its unique idea of ghosts making pancakes.
It starts off with a somewhat eerie tone, but turns cheerful partway through.
Listening to it makes you crave pancakes!
The Curry Rice SongMineharu
It’s a simple song that introduces how to make curry.
It follows the basic steps: sauté the ingredients, simmer them, then add the roux—so even if you’ve never made curry before, try cooking along as you listen.
It’s also fun to make curry with your kids while playing this song.
Personally, I only just learned about adding pepper at the very end, so I’d like to try that next time.
By the way, the part that says “pork” can be swapped for chicken or beef, so sometimes it’s sung as “meat.” Be warned: if you listen while you’re hungry, it might really get your stomach rumbling.
The Bento Box Song
A children’s song about making a bento.
Many of you probably remember it well, right? The ingredients that appear are rice balls and ginger, carrots, cherries, burdock root, butterbur, and shiitake mushrooms.
You can’t help but wish at least for a rolled omelet to be included.
Actually, there’s also a modern version of the song.
And what goes in it is—believe it or not—a sandwich.
It definitely feels tailored to the present day.
Still, the side dishes in that one are plain too…
By the way, both versions are popular as hand-play songs, and regardless of the side dishes, it’s still a favorite among children today!
Vegetable Song
Vegetables that we tend to push to the edge of the plate without thinking.
Many kids don’t like vegetables, right? This one is also a fingerplay song, so try singing and playing along as you encourage them to take on those tricky veggies.
cream stewNEW!Sakushi: Abe Megumi / Sakkyoku: Nakagori Toshihiko
When it comes to hand-play songs that make the process of cooking something delicious fun, this is the one! You can use your whole body to show preparing ingredients, stir-frying, and simmering, so kids are sure to love it.
Written by Megumi Abe and composed by Toshihiko Nakagōri, this piece is perfect for a bit of food education or a quick activity before school lunch, helping children learn vegetable names and mimic cooking movements.
Since being included in Abe’s book “Teasobi Uta Asobi,” published in June 1998, it has been cherished for many years in early childhood education settings.
If everyone pretends to cook together and then strikes a finishing pose at the end, you can share a sense of accomplishment.
How about enjoying a make-believe delicious stew with family and friends while feeling the refreshing May breeze?
Five melon buns
This song lets you study math while singing a hand-play song.
There are five melon breads, and then the children buy one, then another.
You can have fun while thinking about how the five melon breads decrease in number.
It’s highly recommended because you can enjoy learning while singing.
This song might help children overcome their dislike of math.
Try singing it together with your child before they start elementary school.
It could also be a good review for children who are already in elementary school.
A bamboo shoot has sprouted.NEW!warabeuta asobi
A children’s hand-play song that vividly expresses the growth of bamboo shoots, which are in season from spring to early summer.
Through hand motions, kids enjoy the story of a sprout emerging from the soil, a flower blooming with a pop, and finally being snipped with scissors.
Because the rock-paper-scissors hand shapes—fist, scissors, and open hand—are naturally built into the actions, it’s also perfect for helping children learn the rules of the game.
Though it’s a traditional folk song passed down through generations, its introduction on children’s programs like those on NHK has helped it become a familiar group activity in preschools and kindergartens.
It typically ends with everyone chanting “Essa, essa!” together and deciding the winner with rock-paper-scissors.
On a fresh May day under the blue sky, get moving energetically with your family and friends!