[Childcare] I want to have fun with the kids! Simple songs for handbells
Why not create a wonderful musical time with handbells together with children?
Here, we introduce handbell songs that kids can enjoy!
If you choose songs the children already know, it’s easier for them to join in.
First, try ringing the bells to the rhythm.
Playing along with the singing makes it even more fun!
By making sounds together, they can also feel the joy of cooperating with friends.
Share the joy of music and create wonderful memories together.
- Ensemble Performances by Older Kindergarteners Heat Up! A Collection of Recommended Song Ideas for Recitals
- Choral songs that captivate 4-year-olds! A collection of heartfelt song ideas for junior kindergarten recitals
- Recommended for preschool recitals! Choral songs that 3-year-olds can adorably sing
- [Entertainment/Performances] Ideas for Performances to Introduce at Kindergartens and Nursery Schools—Great for Children and Staff
- Recommended Songs to Try on the Melodica for Kindergarten Seniors
- [Childcare] A collection of recommended melodica (pianica) songs for 4-year-olds
- I Want to Sing at the Kindergarten Seniors’ Recital! A Collection of Moving Song Ideas That 6-Year-Olds Can Sing with All Their Heart
- By Age: Enjoy Music with Instrument Play! Plus DIY Instrument Ideas
- I want to sing it at the senior class recital! A choral piece that 5-year-olds can sing with all their heart
- [Childcare] Fun Rhythm Play! Recommended Games and Hand-Clapping/Hand-Play for Kids
- Kids go wild! Popular hand games and fun sing-alongs
- Handmade Instruments for Preschoolers | Instruments You Can Make Together with Your Child
- [Childcare] Recommended for little kids! A fun round song that makes you want to sing!
[Childcare] I want to enjoy this with the children! Simple handbell songs (1–10)
butterfly
Many kindergarteners are probably familiar with the song “Butterfly” (Chōcho) thanks to its simple melody and lyrics.
Because it vividly depicts a butterfly fluttering about, it’s also often used as a song to sing to infants around 0–1 years old.
It’s a great choice as a first piece to play on handbells.
By getting creative with the piano accompaniment or adding harmonies, you can bring variety to the music.
Try performing “Butterfly” in different styles and enjoy the fun of making music.
TulipSakushi: Kondo Miyako / Sakkyoku: Inoue Takeshi
Don’t you ever feel excited just by listening to a children’s song? With lyrics by Miyako Kondo and music by Takeshi Inoue, this piece is a beloved favorite among children, celebrating the arrival of spring when colorful flowers bloom.
The melody is easy to remember and the lyrics are simple, so children can quickly learn to perform it.
It was released in July 1932 and was recorded the following year.
At kindergarten entrance ceremonies, it’s a lovely idea for current students to perform it to welcome the newcomers.
If everyone plays together, it will surely ease their nerves and make for a fun entrance ceremony!
All ye faithful, make haste
“Joy to the World,” a beloved Christmas carol, is a perfect piece for a Christmas program.
Since the melody closely follows the scale, children will likely find it easy to become familiar with.
As a guideline, it seems suitable to start with a class of four-year-olds.
With handbell performances, because there isn’t someone else producing the sound for you, it’s important to listen carefully and understand your own role.
The presentation may be nerve-wracking, but that’s exactly why it will likely become an irreplaceable memory for the children.
[Early Childhood Education] I want to have fun with the children! Simple handbell songs (11–20)
Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace is a hymn beloved by many.
It’s beautiful as a song, and its gentle, rich melody is perfect for handbells.
Since there are no semitones such as sharps or flats, the notes are easy to grasp.
When practicing, write out the notes to match your handbell colors and play repeatedly along with the accompaniment.
You’ll need to listen carefully to the notes your friends are playing, which helps you focus and engage deeply with the music.
It’s also a perfect piece for a Christmas gathering.
A Whole New World
The beautiful melodies and profound lyrics born from Disney films are full of charm that captivates children’s hearts.
This story, which sings of dreams and adventures in a new world, guides children into a wonderful musical realm through the sound of handbells.
Created in 1992 by Alan Menken and Tim Rice, this piece is an award-winning classic that received both Academy and Grammy Awards.
In 2019, it revealed new appeal in a live-action film as well.
You can adapt the performance style to children’s ages and developmental stages, allowing everyone to share the joy of making music together.
Why not enjoy a musical time filled with children’s smiles, accompanied by the gentle tones of handbells?
Medaka no Gakkō, etc.
It’s a charming children’s song that captivates young hearts.
With a light melody and gentle lyrics, it portrays medaka fish happily swimming in a river.
It was first broadcast in March 1951 on NHK’s “Infants’ Hour,” and from April it spread nationwide as Toshi Matsuda and Aiko Anzai performed it.
Through the lively medaka thriving in nature, the piece conveys a sense of the vitality of life and the joy of cooperating and having fun together.
When performed with handbells, you can create a soft, flowing sound like water together with the children and express the medakas’ delightful world.
It’s easy to incorporate into musical activities at nursery schools and kindergartens, and it can also serve as a springboard for discussing nature and the importance of life with children.
Red birds and little birds, etc.
A wondrous world unfolds where birds of many colors transform after eating berries.
This children’s song was born in the Taisho era, with a poem by Hakushu Kitahara set to music by Tamezou Narita.
Its friendly melody nurtures children’s imagination.
When performing with handbells, dividing parts by color lets you enjoy an atmosphere as if a flock of colorful birds has truly gathered.
It was published in the September 1919 issue of the magazine Akai Tori and was released in June 1920 as the first children’s song record.
It’s perfect for enjoying music with children or sensing the changing seasons.
When everyone plays together, you can also savor the joy of cooperation.