Nursery rhymes I want to sing in July: fun summer songs
July, the beginning of summer, is hot but such a fun season, isn’t it?
How about singing joyfully in the hot summer to blow the heat away?
To prevent kids from getting heatstroke, spending time indoors singing fun songs is also recommended!
Here, we’ve gathered classic children’s songs and ones often sung at nurseries and kindergartens.
There are songs you can enjoy with hand play, too.
There are lots of songs children love, so sing and play together and feel the summer!
You can have a great time at home as well.
Use this as a guide so both kids and adults can have fun together!
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Nursery rhymes to sing in July: fun summer songs (101–110)
Song of the cicada
“The Song of the Cicada” playfully captures all sorts of cicada moments, a hallmark of summer.
In summer, their calls can be heard everywhere: while the heat feels even harsher to adults, for children they spark excitement—Where are they calling from? I want to catch one! The lyrics were written by Yoshimi Sato, also known for the children’s song “The Policeman Dog.” The song tells of how hard it is to spot a tiny cicada perched on a big tree, yet how its loud call gives it away.
It’s a perfect children’s song for July, when the cicadas’ chorus begins.
Slippery somen noodles
When it comes to hand-play games that blow away the blazing July heat, “Slurping Somen” is the one.
Precisely because it’s a hot season, a game themed around cold somen noodles is sure to be a hit.
The hand motions of bringing noodles to your mouth with chopsticks pair perfectly with lyrics that are easy for children to remember.
Have the kids sing along to the teacher’s song and hand motions.
You’ll likely feel a sense of unity in the final moment when everyone raises their fists.
Be sure to learn this summer game that livens up indoor time without any props.
It’s a game that will make both children and teachers crave some cold somen noodles.
wind chime
In July, the heat really starts to set in, doesn’t it? That’s exactly the season for this song, “Fūrin” (Wind Chimes).
It paints a scene where the clear, delicate sound of wind chimes seems to ease the heat.
The lyrics are based on a poem by the poet Ryūkō Kawaji.
A sleeping baby smiles, and someone watching thinks, “Ah, the wind chimes must be ringing even in the baby’s dreams.” It’s a gentle lyric that warms the heart.
The words are very short, too, making it an easy children’s song to sing.
King Kamehameha of the Southern Islands
A perfect song to blow away the July heat is “The Great Hamehameha King of the Southern Island.” It’s a song about a king of a southern island and his family, marked by a playful rhythm and a refreshing sound.
Many of you have probably heard its humorous chorus.
Try singing it when the kids are looking bored indoors.
It’s a number that works great whether you sing along to its bright melody or get everyone moving together for a sense of unity.
Its upbeat, beachy vibe will turn a preschool or kindergarten classroom into a seaside scene—an essential sound for summer!
Morning glories, hey-hey!
A recommended hand-play song for July: “Asagao Korya-Korya.” Morning glories start blooming around July.
This song captures the characteristics of morning glories very well—from the sprouting of the seeds, to how the vines grow, to the way the flowers open in the morning and close at night.
The choreography expresses these features with the whole body.
It ends with a fun game of rock-paper-scissors, so it’s popular with children in kindergartens and nurseries.
Kids around preschool age and up can enjoy it.
If you come to like this song, it might be nice to try growing morning glories yourself.
Nursery rhymes to sing in July. Fun summer songs (111–120)
The Banana That Flew Away
Under the blue southern sky, two children tug over a banana, and whoosh!—it slips and flies away.
Oh no! What will happen to this banana? The song has six verses.
Be sure to listen and find out where the banana, which keeps zipping away, finally ends up.
Its unexpected ending is sure to make you smile.
tea picking
Hachijūhachi-ya, which marks the changing of the seasons, is the 88th day from the first day of spring (Risshun).
On the calendar, summer begins on this day, and it traditionally served as a cue for farmers to start picking tea.
It’s said that drinking the first-picked tea (ichibancha) harvested on this day will keep you healthy and free from illness for the year.
Speaking of Japanese tea, Shizuoka—the country’s top tea-producing region—Kyoto’s Uji tea, and Saitama’s Sayama tea are especially famous.
In the fresh-green season of early summer, many of you may also know the children’s hand-clapping song that begins with “Ses-ses-se—no yoi yoi yoi,” a folk-style tune that evokes Japan’s pastoral scenery.