A collection of cheerful nursery rhymes—songs that make you feel happy when you sing them.
There are so many nursery rhymes that are popular with children!
There are songs about animals, songs about food, songs about the seasons—the themes are varied, and each song has its own mood.
In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of especially cheerful songs from among the most popular nursery rhymes all at once!
We’ve gathered lots of songs that will put you in a happy mood whether you listen to them or sing along.
Please sample the songs we introduce below, and be sure to enjoy listening to and singing your favorites!
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A collection of cheerful nursery rhymes: songs that are fun to sing and lift your spirits (71–80)
Haw, the Lost Ghost
It’s a popular ghost-themed song that was also sung on “Okaasan to Issho.” The playful back-and-forth vocals between Akihiro Sugita and Ryoko Tsunoda make it really fun.
If you use it for a dance activity, it naturally becomes a call-and-response between a boy and a girl.
Above all, the yodel-like part at the beginning is so entertaining that you can’t help but imitate it.
Even though it’s a ghost song, it’s not scary at all—that’s a big plus! Still, a ghost that gets lost is kind of weird, isn’t it? It’s also perfect as BGM for kids’ Halloween events and the like!
soap bubble
It’s the song that made me want to sing every time I blew soap bubbles as a child.
I bet many people, while chasing the bubbles floating away, found themselves thinking, “Please don’t pop.” The lyrics are very beautiful, but this piece also carries a touch of the author’s sadness; I’ve heard it was written by likening a precious “person” to a soap bubble.
As expected of the master lyricist, Ujo Noguchi.
100% Courage
A song beloved by everyone, widely passed down as the theme song of the anime Nintama Rantaro.
It has been covered by groups from Johnny & Associates such as Hey! Say! JUMP, Sexy Zone, and NYC, and is now regarded as a rite-of-passage song for Johnny’s Jr.
The A melody repeats the same phrase, making it friendly and easy to memorize, and the energetic chorus pairs perfectly with choreography that makes you want to pump your fist.
With choreography, it really shines on stage.
The vocal range isn’t very wide, making it perfect for 4-year-olds to sing.
If you’re unsure what to choose, go with this! A highly recommended track.
King Kamehameha of the Southern Islands
The song “King Kamehameha of the Southern Island” caused a huge sensation when it was sung in 1976 on NHK’s Minna no Uta by illustrator and TV personality Ado Mizumori.
Many of you might feel nostalgic about it.
Even the title—‘Kamehameha Daiō’—has such a fun ring to it.
It’s the kind of title that naturally makes children curious about what the song is like.
The rhythm is also perfect for kids to play along with, sing, and dance to, so it’s a highly recommended tune.
I think children will start keeping the beat instinctively just by hearing it, without anyone having to teach them.
That’s how catchy, fun, and easy to sing this children’s song is.
Under the big chestnut tree
It’s a song about playing together happily under a chestnut tree—that’s what this tune is.
Thinking about it that way makes me wonder why we all learned and sang it when we were little, but it surprisingly gets everyone hyped at karaoke.
After all, songs everyone knows are great because they’re fun by that alone, aren’t they?
To the Sun in the Palm of Your Hand
It’s a popular children’s song with energetic lyrics and a lively tempo that makes it a hit at karaoke.
As in this video, if you sing it a bit faster, it seems like everyone can get even more excited together.
In fact, the lyrics were written by Takashi Yanase, the creator of the beloved Anpanman character.
You can really feel the sense of full-on energy coming through the words, right? In 2006, it was selected by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs for the “100 Best Japanese Songs,” a list of nursery rhymes, school songs, and popular songs they hope parents and children will continue singing for generations.
Spring has come.
Even people who are now elderly almost certainly sang “Haru ga Kita” when they were children.
Amazingly, this children’s song has been sung continuously ever since it was published in the 1910 compilation Shinjō Shōgaku Tokuhon Shōka.
Its simple lyrics and the uplifting feeling of spring’s arrival make it a delightful tune.
If you’re wondering what to sing at karaoke with your child, this is a highly recommended choice.
I hope parents and children will enjoy singing it together at karaoke as a way of passing it down from one generation to the next.
Your child is sure to love it!