Songs we want to sing at the graduation ceremony! A special feature on moving, heart-touching preschool graduation songs
For children about to graduate from preschool, we want to leave them with the most wonderful memories.
Many teachers may be searching for tear-jerking graduation songs with that wish in mind.
When you put feelings of gratitude and the joy of growth into song, it resonates deeply not only with the children but also with their parents.
Graduation songs with warm lyrics and gentle melodies are essential elements that add a moving touch to the ceremony.
Here, we introduce unforgettable masterpieces.
The time spent singing together with the children will surely become an irreplaceable treasure!
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- Songs of Thanks That Touch the Heart: Ideas to Give to Teachers at the Preschool Graduation Ceremony
- 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
- [Graduation Ceremony] Tear-Jerking! A Collection of Farewell Words and Message Ideas
- [Minna no Uta] Tear-jerking masterpiece. A moving song you want to hear again.
- Tear-jerking classic graduation songs! Recommended tracks for graduation movie BGM
- [Thank You] A classic song expressing gratitude to one’s parents. A number loved across generations.
- Get pumped with popular songs from “Okaasan to Issho”! A collection of timeless tunes everyone will want to sing together
- [Great Lyrics!!] Recommended Tear-Jerking Graduation Songs with Heartfelt, Moving Words [2026]
- Thank you, Teacher: A Song of Gratitude for Teachers and Mentors — An Emotional Farewell Song for the Journey Ahead
- Choral songs that captivate 4-year-olds! A collection of heartfelt song ideas for junior kindergarten recitals
- Ensemble Performances by Older Kindergarteners Heat Up! A Collection of Recommended Song Ideas for Recitals
- [Touching] Entrance/Exit Songs for Graduation Ceremonies: Classics & the Latest BGM
Songs to Sing at the Graduation Ceremony! A Special Feature on Moving, Heartfelt Graduation Songs (71–80)
Flowers will bloom.Sakushi: Iwai Shunji/Sakkyoku: Kanno Yoko
Released in May 2012 as a song supporting recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake, this piece features lyrics by Shunji Iwai and music by Yoko Kanno.
Written from the perspective of someone who has passed away, the lyrics speak gently to the loved ones left behind, resonating deeply.
As the seasons turn, flowers bloom, and life continues to live on in memory, the song quietly depicts a world where loss and hope softly intersect.
It was repeatedly broadcast as the theme song for NHK’s reconstruction support project “Ashita e,” and its collaborative video with figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu also drew wide attention.
Sung at a preschool graduation ceremony, it naturally overlaps with gratitude for the days spent with the children and prayers for their journey ahead.
When sung with heartfelt feelings for the teachers, a warm afterglow will spread throughout the venue.
Album of MemoriesSakushi: Masuko Toshi / Sakkyoku: Honda Tetsumaro
There is a classic song that has been sung for many years as a staple of kindergarten graduation ceremonies.
The lyricist, Toshi Masuko, was an early childhood educator who studied at a Christian teacher-training school, while the composer, Tetsumaro Honda, was the principal of a kindergarten attached to a Buddhist temple—two people with different religious backgrounds who collaborated to create the piece.
The lyrics gently recount memories of time spent at the kindergarten in each of the four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—from a child’s perspective.
It first appeared in a book on childcare practice in 1961, and in 1981 a version performed by the vocal group Dark Ducks was broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta,” bringing it nationwide recognition.
In 2006, it was selected for the “100 Best Japanese Songs.” Its calm 6/8 melody is easy for young children to sing, and the call-and-response style between teachers and children is also enjoyable.
It’s a perfect piece for the climax of a graduation ceremony or as background music for a slideshow of memories.
First GoodbyeSakushi: Kuwabara Nagae / Sakkyoku: Matsuura Yūta
This is a graduation song themed around friendship by the Daruma Brothers, a duo of nursery teachers.
It also includes sign language choreography that even kindergarteners can do, making it a perfect graduation song for kindergartens and childcare facilities that emphasize barrier-free education.
pinky promiseSakushi: Shinzawa Toshihiko / Sakkyoku: Nakagawa Hirotaka
The song “Yubikiri” makes you want to promise, “We’ll be friends forever,” as you remember days spent with friends.
The lyrics are by Toshihiko Shinzawa and the music is by Hirotaka Nakagawa.
Set against everyday, simple scenes, the song warmly and movingly portrays children’s shifting emotions and unchanging friendship.
Although it was originally released around 2007, it was included in the best-of album “Toshihiko Shinzawa & Hirotaka Nakagawa: Full of Songs,” released in July 2017, and has since become beloved at many preschools and kindergartens.
It’s also lovely to sing while making the pinky-swear gesture and looking at each other’s faces.
Please consider choosing this piece for important occasions like graduation or farewell ceremonies to deepen the bonds between friends.
On the Day of DepartureSakushi: Kojima Noboru / Sakkyoku: Sakamoto Hiromi
This is a classic song for expressing gratitude at graduation ceremonies and is sung at many kindergartens and preschools.
The lyrics were written by Noboru Kojima and the music composed by Hiromi Sakamoto.
It began in March 1991, when it was performed as a gift to graduating students at a junior high school in Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture.
Words like “big sky” and “wings” leave a strong impression, evoking the image of children taking flight into a new world.
In 2007, SMAP performed it in an NTT East commercial, which made it even more widely known.
With lyrics that convey gratitude to teachers and a resolve to set off while cherishing memories with friends, it’s perfect for the important milestone of graduation.
The teachers who have watched the children grow will surely be moved to tears.
Soon to be a fine first gradericchī・naru
This work is a cover by a popular duo of a classic song written and composed by Toshihiko Shinzawa that portrays rambunctious children just as they are.
While looking back on preschool days—like playing pranks that flustered the teacher or getting into squabbles with friends—it expresses a proud determination to take the next step.
It was included on the February 2023 album “Bonbon Academy: Best Graduation and School Entrance Songs.” The vocals are by Icchi & Naru, who are active with anime theme songs and choreography and have surpassed 2 billion total views on YouTube, making it easy to enjoy the dance moves with children while watching the video.
It’s perfect for classes that want to avoid an overly somber mood and greet graduation with smiles, or for brightening up the opening of the ceremony.
Our PowerKeroponzu
When we think of graduation ceremonies at kindergartens, we tend to picture tearful farewells, but “Our Power” by Keropons is a perfect classic for ceremonies you want to end with hopeful smiles.
Its lyrics, filled with gratitude to those who have supported us and with a firm resolve to stride into the future, overlap with the children’s growth and are truly moving.
Released as a single in July 2010 and included in publications such as “The Keropons,” the song has been sung for many years at numerous preschools.
It’s ideal for moments when you want to recall time spent with friends and convey a lively, positive spirit rather than the sadness of parting.
Let this bright, upbeat melody warmly encourage the children as they confidently take flight to their next stage!
right?Lyrics and Composition: Hayumi Takahashi
It’s a warm song that celebrates the happiness of being together with family and friends.
The chance coincidences that let us share the same moments with someone may feel natural, but they’re actually very precious.
This song conveys that feeling directly, with simple, heartfelt words.
Originally, it won an Excellence Award in a camp song contest hosted by the Japan Camping Association, and it has been sung for many years at campfires and similar events.
After it was released on CD by Columbia in November 2007, it spread as a standard song for kindergarten graduation ceremonies.
Although its lyricist and composer, Hayumi Takahashi, passed away in 1997 at the age of 28, the song has continued to be sung by many children.
The lyrics, which express a wish to stay together even when we’re grandparents, evoke the warmth of bonds more than the sadness of parting.
It’s a wonderful song for children to give to their teachers, and equally lovely for teachers to offer to their children.
365 Days’ Paper AirplaneAKB48
Many people probably remember singing “Aogeba Tōtoshi” at their graduation ceremony.
“365 Nichi no Kamihikōki” is a song that stands alongside such graduation staples and will likely continue to be sung for years to come.
Its lyrics compare life to a fragile paper airplane, conveying a slightly mature message like, “Life has its ups and downs, but we keep moving forward.” Of course, some parts may feel difficult for kindergarteners and preschoolers, but there’s no doubt it will become a song that lingers in their memories, and years later they’ll think, “Oh right, we sang a song with lyrics like that.” It’s an easy-to-sing, highly recommended piece with no high notes.
Favorite daycare and kindergartensaku-shi sakkyoku: Fujimoto Chika
This is a graduation song composed by Chika Fujimoto, a Hyogo-based composer and piano teacher.
It’s an easy-to-learn, easy-to-sing recommended piece for both adults and children.
Chika Fujimoto created this song with the hope that “all the preschool graduates will sing it together at the end” and that “every child, while feeling the weight of words and feelings, will become someone who can be grateful for everything as they set off on their next journey.”
