Songs for January: Nursery rhymes and fingerplay songs we want children to grow familiar with

Great Cold, Little Coldwarabeuta

[Children’s Song] Oh, Cold, So Cold

This song is a traditional children’s folk tune that expresses the cold of the Japanese winter.

It’s characterized by a simple, familiar melody, and children often sing it while playing—perfect for sensing the changing seasons.

The lyrics vary slightly by region, but all convey the severity of winter.

How about singing it with your family on a cold day? If you huddle together as you sing, it will surely warm your hearts.

Loved for many years as a winter tradition, it’s a piece that can be enjoyed across generations.

snowSakushi: Mukasa San / Sakkyoku: Fushou

[Children's Song] Yuki ya konko – kids' song, nursery rhyme, Minna no Uta, Japanese song. ♪ Yuki ya konko, arare ya konko ♪ Melody Line

“Yuki” (Snow) has been sung by many people since the Meiji era.

This children’s song describes scenes like snow falling and piling up, and a dog rejoicing as it watches.

Its charm lies in how the lyrics convey the excitement of a fresh snowfall.

Why not sing it with the hopeful feeling, “I wish it would pile up soon”? Another lovely point is the depiction of timeless, beautiful imagery—such as fields turning white—that has been praised for generations.

What kinds of pictures will children imagine as they sing this song?

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The wind and the snow are my friends.sakushi: kobayashi jun’ichi / sakkyoku: neruson & rorinz

Wind and Snow Are Friends Too: Children’s Song (Winter) [Lyrics with Movements] for Ages 3–5

Packed with the joys of winter, this song delights with lyrics that tickle children’s playful spirits.

It likens the wind and snow to friends and portrays the fun of flying kites and having snowball fights.

Broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta” starting in December 1961, it has long been loved by many.

Various artists, including Junko Uchida and Yuko Kanzaki, have covered it.

Even children who aren’t fond of playing outside in the cold might find outdoor fun more appealing after hearing this tune.

It’s a perfect song for creating winter memories that the whole family can sing together.

Cha-Cha-Cha of the SnowmanSakushi / Sakkyoku: Tajiga Akira

Cha-cha-cha of the Snowman

When I hear “cha-cha-cha,” the first thing that comes to mind is the children’s song ‘Omocha no Cha Cha Cha,’ and if we’re talking pop songs, Akemi Ishii’s smash hit ‘CHA-CHA-CHA.’ Cha-cha-cha is a rhythm and dance of Cuban origin, so pairing it with an unmoving snowman is a delightfully mismatched and amusing combination.

The mini-story-like lyrics—‘It started snowing, so I made a snowman, and then the snowman began to dance’—are fun, too.

It’s a song that makes you want to tap castanets or a tambourine to the cha-cha-cha rhythm.

bonfireSakushi: Tatsumi Seika / Sakkyoku: Watanabe Shigeru

Takibi (♪ At the corner of the hedge) by Himawari 🌻 with lyrics | Children's song [One Hundred Selected Japanese Songs] Takibi

Characterized by vivid scenes that evoke the chill of winter, this song depicts the warm interactions of people gathered around a bonfire, and its lyrics are filled with many winter traditions.

First broadcast in December 1941 on NHK’s radio program “Time for Young Children,” it has since been widely loved in kindergartens, nursery schools, and elementary schools.

From 1952, it was also included in first-grade music textbooks, making it a classic cherished across generations.

It’s the perfect song to sing with family and friends during the cold season when you want to feel warm at heart.

Spring SeaSakushi: Shimoji Yuuki / Sakkyoku: Miyagi Michio

Spring Sea (Haru no Umi) — Michio Miyagi

The duet for koto and shakuhachi composed by Michio Miyagi is widely cherished as a piece that symbolizes the Japanese New Year.

Inspired by the serene scenery of the Seto Inland Sea, the work expresses the tranquility and beauty of the spring sea.

It was recorded in November 1932 in collaboration with a French violinist and received high acclaim abroad.

The piece is often used as New Year’s background music on television, radio, and in commercial facilities.

Evoking Japan’s natural beauty and seasonal changes, it is recommended for those who wish to spend a quiet, peaceful time.

snowSakushi: Mukasa San / Sakkyoku: Fushou

PINKFONG’s fingerplay nursery rhyme ♪ “Snow” ★Yuki ya Konko★

Winter really makes you want to have fun playing in the snow, doesn’t it? Let’s sing the children’s song “Yuki” and add hand motions to make that feeling grow even more! Flutter your hands to show the snow falling more and more, or clap along to the rhythm.

You can freely express how the snow is falling! You could also act out a dog happily playing, or a cat curled up inside the kotatsu.

Try playing while thinking, “How about this movement? What about that one?”

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SAKI

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