[Animal Song] Fun nursery rhymes popular with children

Picking out “animal songs” from popular children’s songs!

There are so many kinds of animals—dogs and cats that are popular as pets, and lions and pandas that are symbolic of zoos.

Did you know there are children’s songs that feature a variety of animals?

In this article, we’ll introduce many animal-themed songs, including the famous Inu no Omawari-san (The Dog Policeman) and Mori no Kuma-san (The Bear in the Forest).

There are also lots of finger-play songs you can use in childcare, so be sure to make good use of them.

If children become interested in animals, it might be nice to take a trip to the zoo!

Playlist

[Animal Song] Fun nursery rhymes popular with children
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	Jungle Pocketsakushi: hasegawa katsuji / sakkyoku: fukuda wakako		A dream world where animals leap out of your pocket
2	little fox		A little fox plays in the forest with berries and fallen leaves.
3	The Bear of the ForestSakushi: Baba Yoshihiro / Sakkyoku: Amerika min’yō		If you encounter a bear, either run away or play dead.
4	A Little Bear in the RainSakushi: Tsurumi Masao / Sakkyoku: Yuyama Akira		A cute observation log of a bear cub on a rainy day
5	The Mountain Musicianssakushi: mizuta shisen / sakkyoku: doitsu min’yō		A nursery rhyme about animals playing musical instruments in the mountains
6	The Puppy Police OfficerSakushi: Satō Yoshimi / Sakkyoku: Ōnaka Megumi		A story about a police-dog officer helping a lost cat
7	Zebra SwirlSakushi: Endou Kouzou / Sakkyoku: Inui Hiroki		A hand-clapping song about taking a zebra’s stripes off and turning it into another animal
8	Goat MailSakushi: Mado Michio / Sakkyoku: Dan Ikuma		A story about a goat who eats letters
9	Song of the Gluttonous GorillaSakushi: Abe Naomi / Sakkyoku: Ozawa Tatsuyuki		My favorite gorilla eating a ton
10	rabbit		A Mid-Autumn moon rabbit gazing at the moon
11	aye-ayeSakushi: Aida Hiromi / Sakkyoku: Uno Seiichirou		The aye-aye is a unique animal with large ears.
12	Frog ChorusYakushi: Okamoto Toshiaki / Sakkyoku: Doitsu min’yō		Frog Chorus, a fun round
13	Rudolph the Red-Nosed ReindeerLyrics and Composition: Johnny Max		The red nose of the reindeer, a story where individuality shines
14	School of MedakaSakushi: Chaki Shigeru / Sakkyoku: Nakata Yoshinao		Imagining them swimming at a medaka (Japanese rice fish) school
15	Seagull SailorSakushi: Takeuchi Toshiko / Sakkyoku: Kawamura Mitsuyo		The Seagull and the Sailor’s Cheerful Sea Song
16	Seven-year-old childSakushi: Noguchi Ujo / Sakkyoku: Motoori Nagayo		A gentle children’s song about a family of crows, The Tale of Seven Little Ones
17	Tanuki of Fist Mountain		Cute nursery rhymes and fun play songs of the tanuki (raccoon dog)
18	Panda, rabbit, koala		A fun hand-play song that expresses animal characteristics
19	Mary’s lambSakushi sakkyoku: Amerika minyō		The nursery rhyme about Mary’s lamb going to school
20	Rabbit DanceSakushi: Noguchi Ujō / Sakkyoku: Nakayama Shinpei		The Rabbit Dance is a fun nursery rhyme popular among children.
21	Mr. ElephantSakushi: Mado Michio / Sakkyoku: Dan Ikuma		The love between a baby elephant and its mother
22	Song of the Resounding GrasslandsSakushi: Kubota Yuzuru Sakkyoku: Maruyama Aki		A children's song from Mongolian folklore, Melody of Light and Wind
23	After Man		Depicting the future of animals after the extinction of humankind
24	The little cowboy has arrived.Sakkyoku: Sakata Hiroo / Sakushi: Arekisu Sakkyoku Tom Tirilin Tom		Song of a Little Cowboy Galloping Across the West
25	Mr. Elephant		A children's song that affirms differences and cherishes being oneself
26	HAPPY HONEY HORSENo-zan Ho-su Pa-ku		Parents and children have fun bonding with a horse-themed hand play song
27	Run, Kotaro!Sakushi: Ikeda Kenkichi / Sakkyoku: Ikeda Kenkichi, Maeda Nobuo		A classic parody song of horse race commentary, packed with a sense of speed.
28	KintaroSakushi: Ishihara Wasaburō / Sakkyoku: Tamura Torazō		A valiant child of Mount Ashigara’s song, with lively lyrics
29	Horse’s tail, pig’s tail.Sakushi: Abe Hitomi / Sakkyoku: Yamamoto Naozumi		An adorable nursery rhyme about a horse and a pig’s tails
30	Foal’s Rhythm PlayMonbushō shōka		A playful rhythmic chant that expresses the hoofbeats of a foal
31	All mothersamerika min’yō		The Mysterious Song of the Horse and the Piglet, a Japanese Children's Song
32	Adorable foalSakushi: Satō Hachirō / Sakkyoku: Niki Takio		A classic that warmly portrays a scene of a foal and a child
33	horse (childish/affectionate term)Sakushi: Hayashi Ryūha / Sakkyoku: Matsushima Tsune		A song story depicting the affection between a foal and its mother horse
34	Playable on easy piano! KusakeibaSakkyoku: Sutiibun Fositā		A delightful classic that captures the lightness of a horse
35	Panda, rabbit, koala		The hand-play song “Panda, Rabbit, Koala”
36	I Stepped on the Cat		Cat songs are loved around the world.
37	Mountain MusiciansDoitsu min’yō		A Fun Concert by the Forest Animals
38	Shōjōji’s Raccoon Dog Festival MusicSakushi: Noguchi Ujō / Sakkyoku: Nakayama Shinpei		The Legend of the Tanuki Drumming at Shojoji Temple and Noguchi Ujo
39	Cute Hide and SeekSakushi: Satou Hachirou／Sakkyoku: Nakata Yoshinao		A nursery rhyme about animals playing hide-and-seek
40	Piglet-raccoon dog-fox-catsakushi sakkyoku/yamamoto naozumi		A hand-play song with animals using shiritori, hugely popular with children
41	Picnic		A rhythmic song that enjoys the sounds of animals
42	A Rainy Day on the Ranch		A cheerful song of animals on a rainy ranch
43	Animal Clock		A song brimming with the chimes of clocks and the charm of animals
44	The Bear of the Forest		Let's enjoy learning the bear song
45	Hey, Kaba-kun!sakushi: nakagawa itsuko / sakkyoku: nakagawa hirotaka		The charm of animals for children through hippopotamus songs
46	The Hare and the Tortoise		The Hare and the Tortoise, Ishihara’s famous fable
47	Kagome Kagome		The mystery and song monument of the nursery rhyme “Musunde Hiraite”
48	Red bird, little birdSakushi: Kitahara Hakushū / Sakkyoku: Narita Tamezō		Miekichi Suzuki's nursery rhymes 'Red Bird' and 'Red Bird, Little Bird'
49	Daikoku-sama		A song based on the tale of the Hare of Inaba