Get excited! A list of popular and fun hand games that captivate children

Tanuki of Fist Mountain

[Hand Play] Mr. Raccoon Dog on Fist Mountain ♪ <With Movements>

Let’s enjoy Rock-Paper-Scissors at the end of the hand game! We’ll introduce the hand game “Genkotsuyama no Tanukisan.” For children, hand games are an important activity where they can learn while having fun.

Through play that uses the hands, they develop finger dexterity and hand-eye coordination, so many parents and teachers may include them before and after activities.

The “Genkotsuyama no Tanukisan” hand game is packed with rhythm and fun.

Its simple, easy-to-remember lyrics are another point that makes it enjoyable with children.

By adding Rock-Paper-Scissors at the end of the hand game, it’s sure to get the kids excited.

Piglet-raccoon dog-fox-cat

Kobuta Nuki Tsuneko ♪ [Hand Play Song] With Choreography

Do you know what kind of sounds they make? Let me introduce the hand game “Kobuta, Tanuki, Kitsune, Neko.” Animals come in many shapes and sizes and have unique characteristics.

Their movements and cries are fascinating, and many children are interested in them, aren’t they? This hand game is a perfect idea for such children! In the first verse, you imitate the animals’ names and gestures; in the second verse, you imitate their cries and gestures, so kids won’t get bored and can enjoy it all the way through.

Give it a try!

Under the big chestnut tree

[Hand Play] Under the Big Chestnut Tree [Children’s Song, Nursery Rhyme, Hand Game, Dance] Japanese Children’s Song, Nursery Rhymes (covered by UtaSta)

A big hit with kids in the autumn season! Let me introduce the hand game for “Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree.” It’s a fun rhythm-and-movement activity that everyone can enjoy together! Use your hands and body in time with the song to express it dynamically.

This hand game also lets everyone imagine the lyrics as they play, so it can help deepen bonds with parents, teachers, and friends.

As a fun variation, you could change the features—like a small chestnut tree or a round chestnut tree—to make it even more exciting.

New Year’s rice-cake pounding hand play

@soiflhoiku

This is a hand game about making mochi for New Year’s.#Nursery schoolKindergarten TeacherAspiring childcare workerNursery teacher / Childcare worker#NurseryTeacherThingschild1 year old2 years oldNursery School Practicum#NurseryTeacherThingsHand gamesNew Year#MochitsukiPettan#MochitsukiNew Year hand gamesJanuary hand play#NewYearMochiPounding

♬ Everyday songs with a cute and slightly blurred atmosphere(1277086) – Sumochi

In Japan, pounding rice cakes (mochi) is a year-end tradition.

So how about introducing a hand-play activity themed around mochi pounding as a January game? Along with motions that knead and pound the mochi to the song, there’s a fun game element where you clap your hands at set positions—top, middle, and bottom.

At the end, you make kagami-mochi and everyone enjoys it together.

Kids who experienced it at the end of the year will likely say, “I know this!” and have fun, and even those who haven’t done mochi pounding may become interested through this hand-play song.

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sasashina

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gluttonous gorilla

[Hand Play Song] The Greedy Gorilla [With Singing and Movements]

A fun hand play about a foodie gorilla that’s sure to get everyone excited.

In “Gorilla the Glutton,” kids learn the names of foods while everyone mimics the gorilla’s expressions and movements.

It feels like play but can also tie into food education.

It tickles children’s imaginations and fills the time with smiles.

Keeping a brisk tempo or mixing in trick questions makes it even more fun.

It could be great to try right before school lunch.

No prep needed and you can do it anywhere, so it’s perfect for small pockets of time.

What should I be when I grow up?

[Children’s Song & Finger Play] What Will You Be When You Grow Up? / gaagaaS [Childcare/Parenting/Children’s Songs]

Ooki-kunattara Nanni Narou (“What Will I Be When I Grow Up?”) is another recommended fingerplay song that you can enjoy while letting your imagination grow.

First, you raise one finger, pretend it’s a syringe, and play the role of a doctor.

Next, you use two fingers as scissors and become a barber, then three fingers as a whisk to become a baker—adding more fingers each time to take on different jobs.

Children can watch with excitement, wondering, “What will I be next?” and it can also inspire them to think about their future dreams.

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yamamoto

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Thunder God has arrived.

[Super Popular Hand-Play Song] Mr. Thunder Has Come

The hand game “Kaminari-don ga Yattekita” is a fun activity that excites children.

The movements of hiding different body parts in time with the song create visual interest and a sense of suspense.

Caregivers can also see how their children enjoy the rhythm, and it seems like an activity that could be incorporated at home.

Through play, children learn the names of body parts and deepen their communication with the teacher.

It’s recommended as a hand game for nursery schools and kindergartens that lets everyone move their bodies together and have fun!