Popular hand games and hand game songs for toddlers and children! Full of ideas for childcare/early childhood education.

Fingerplay Quiz

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We all tried the super popular kids’ hand game “Rock-Paper-Scissors Hand Play” in a quiz version as a team of lead teachers! Even though it’s a hand game we always do, speeding it up made it surprisingly hard to think of things on the spot 😆 By thinking about what kinds of shapes or things you can make, you can foster children’s imagination ✨ Enjoy SEIKA ✌️Hand games#RockPaperScissorsFun workplaceNursery teacher / Childcare workerChildcare studentAspiring childcare worker#IWantToConnectWithChildcareWorkersEnjoy SEIKALikeI want to give it a try

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Let’s turn a quick hand-play activity into a quiz to make it even more fun during little pockets of time! In preschools, there’s a familiar hand game where you make things using rock, scissors, and paper—like making a snail with a fist and scissors, or a butterfly with two open hands.

For the quiz part, after saying “Right hand is rock, left hand is scissors,” have the children think about and answer what it could be.

You might hear answers like “A snail!” or creative ones like “Ice cream!” and “A hamburger and chopsticks!” There are endless possible answers, so enjoy coming up with ideas together with the children!

The Three Little Pigs

Three Little Pigs (fingerplay song)

Enjoy a familiar picture book story through a hand play activity! Here’s a hand play version of “The Three Little Pigs.” Let’s act out the story with hand motions: the piglets gather materials and build their own houses, and then the wolf arrives.

When the wolf shows up, some children might get scared and shout, “Eek!” But the story ends with a reassuring “What a relief!” so everyone can enjoy the hand play.

Give it a try!

five melon breads

[Finger Play] Five Melon Buns (with actions) [Takashi’s Hand Play & Children’s Song] Japanese Children’s Song, Finger Play Songs

The hand game “Five Melon Breads,” derived from a British nursery rhyme, captivates children with its regular rhythm and fun actions! The phrases using the numbers one through five are repeated, helping children naturally learn how to count.

Another appeal is the recurring melon bread, which carries its own storyline, allowing children to enjoy using their imagination.

By changing your voice and using big gestures, you can have fun together with the children.

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miyabi

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Head, Shoulders, Knees—pon!

Head, shoulders, knees, pat (with actions)

Have fun touching your own body with “Head, Shoulders, Knees—Clap.” It’s sung to the melody of the English nursery rhyme “London Bridge Is Falling Down.” As you sing, do hand motions by touching the body parts mentioned in the lyrics.

If it’s “head,” touch your head; for eyes or nose, pointing is fine too.

After touching your knees, clap once.

First, let your child watch the moves, then have them imitate you, or gently guide their hands and move together.

It’s also a great chance for them to learn the names of their body parts and discover what each place is called.

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SAKI

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Even with just one, it’s a carrot.

Even one carrot [Hirake Ponkikki] with gestures/piano accompaniment/a numbers song

Perfect for learning numbers! Let me introduce the hand game “Ippon demo Ninjin.” It’s great for learning the concept of numbers, and the humor in the lyrics makes it a wonderful hand game! As you count, different items appear in rhythm, making it a fun activity.

It’s also unique that the next number is hidden within the lyrics, which helps children learn numbers and words while enjoying the song.

The choreography is easy for kids to imitate, too.

Be sure to incorporate it into your activities!

spool (of thread); winding thread; Itomaki (traditional toy spinning top), depending on context

The Spool-Winding Song [Hand Play Song]

Let’s enjoy rhythm together with children! I’d like to introduce the hand play for “Itomaki” (The Spinning Song).

Hand-play songs can serve as a tool for communication with parents, teachers, and sometimes friends, creating wonderful moments that deepen bonds.

The charm lies in being able to experience fun and learning at the same time while playing.

Through the familiar “Itomaki” hand play that parents and teachers have known since they were young, let’s move our bodies to the rhythm and melody and enjoy feeling music and rhythm! Be sure to incorporate it into your activities.

The Itomaki song

“The Itomaki Song” (with hand motions)

The children’s song “Itomaki no Uta” is fun for its repetitive words.

Based on the Danish folk song “Shoemaker’s Polka,” its lyrics were written by Miyako Kohyama, who also wrote the nursery rhyme “Genkotsuyama no Tanukisan” and the picture book “Douzo no Isu.” Try singing along while moving your hands: twirl both hands in circles as if winding thread, and spread both hands to the sides as if pulling the thread.

The first verse, about making shoes with thread, is the most well known, but in fact the song has four verses! The lyrics from the second verse on also work as hand-play, so if you’re curious, be sure to sing the later verses while doing the hand motions too.

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SAKI

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I love rice balls.

[Super popular hand play song] I love rice balls! For nursery and kindergarten: ages 2, 3, 4, and 5. A fun hand game that kids will love. Recommended. Squeeze-squeeze the onigiri! Exciting and funny!

I wonder what’s inside the rice balls? Let me introduce the hand game “I Love Onigiri.” It’s also nice to start with an opening like, “What filling do you all like in your onigiri?” This hand game features animals like rabbits and monkeys, so it’s likely to capture children’s interest! And what’s more, each rice ball has a surprising something inside! It could be fun to have the children imagine and answer what’s inside as an added twist.

Be sure to give it a try.

Story Finger

Onii-san Yoshi's 'Mr. Story Finger'

Let’s make a little family in the palm of your hand! Here’s an introduction to the fingerplay “Ohanashi Yubisan.” For children, family is a place of comfort and a precious source of love.

Let’s play together in a cheerful mood and see what kind of family members appear! In this fingerplay, the father, mother, older brother, older sister, and baby make an appearance.

Each one corresponds to a finger, so kids can have fun using their hands as they play.

For example, the father is the thumb, the mother is the index finger, the older brother is the middle finger, the older sister is the ring finger, and the baby is the pinky.

You use one finger at a time to act out each role—it’s a lot of fun!

Let’s have a snack!

[Hand Play] Let's Eat a Snack ♬ <With Movements>

Perfect for snack time! Let us introduce you to the hand game “Oyatsu Tabeyo” (Let’s Eat a Snack).

For children, mealtime and snack time are not just about nutrition—they are an important part of growth and learning.

They’re also a chance to communicate with parents, teachers, and friends, and a valuable time to discover new flavors and food cultures through what they eat.

Featuring a variety of foods and catchy chants, the “Oyatsu Tabeyo” hand game is perfect for creating a fun atmosphere! Give it a try!