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[Childcare] Fun Rhythm Play! Recommended Games and Hand-Clapping/Hand-Play for Kids
Rhythm play—moving the body in time with rhythms, songs, and music—is said to nurture not only a sense of rhythm, but also expressiveness, social skills, and physical ability.
It is one of the essential activities for healthy child development.
With that in mind, here are some recommended rhythm-based activities that can be enjoyed in nursery schools and kindergartens.
From gymnastics, eurhythmics, hand games, and group games to quick activities you can do in spare moments and more in-depth, focused ones, there’s a wide range of play that will spark children’s curiosity.
Get moving with your whole body and enjoy these activities together with the children!
[Childcare] Fun Rhythm Play! Recommended Games and Hand-Clapping/Finger-Play for Kids (1–10)
Clap along to the number of words
It’s a fun rhythm game where you clap along to the rhythm of words.
For example, for “ichigo” (strawberry), you’d clap “tan-tan-tan,” and for “broccoli,” you’d clap “ta-ta-tta-taa.” Once you get used to it, try using not just your hands but also tapping your head or cheeks, or clapping on different parts of the body—it makes it even more fun.
By listening to various rhythms and watching how the caregiver claps and imitating them, children can enjoyably develop their ability to focus with both eyes and ears!
Rhythm Game ‘The Greengrocer’
“Yaoya-san” is a rhythm game where you clap only when you hear the name of something sold at a greengrocer.
It can be tricky to make a snap judgment about whether an item is sold at a greengrocer, but it’s fun once you try it.
To get the children to listen closely, you can add emphasis or accents to your words, and it also seems fun to say similar-sounding words that are easy to trip them up with.
Body percussion
Body percussion is a fun game that needs no equipment, can be done anywhere, and always gets everyone excited.
You simply use your hands to tap different parts of your body, make sounds, and play along with the rhythm—kids really love it.
Start simple by clapping hands to keep a beat and getting everyone used to it.
Then have them imitate you, repeating the same moves after you.
Tap various spots like the belly, back, bottom, and even trickier places like the soles of the feet.
Speeding up the tempo makes it even more exciting.
Where are you from?
This is a Eurhythmics activity using the traditional children’s song “Antagata Dokosa,” which has been loved for generations.
First, clap along to the music, and hide your head whenever the syllable “sa” appears in the lyrics.
The uniquely Japanese, bouncy, folk-dance-like rhythm feels familiar and fun even for children.
Once they get used to it, try variations in pairs: face each other and clap, touch hands on “sa,” pass a ball, or step on color boards placed on the floor—enjoy experimenting with different versions!
DoraemonGen Hoshino
Doraemon is a universally popular, national treasure of an anime.
How about enjoying some fun eurhythmics to the theme song sung by Gen Hoshino? The flow goes from clapping hands, to a dance using your tummy and thighs, to stomping, and then striking a pose, so kids get to move their whole bodies evenly.
It starts with slow clapping, which makes it easy even for small children to join in—how nice is that! Another highlight is that the names of Doraemon’s characters are woven into the song like a chant, which really captivates children’s interest.
It fell, it fell.
Let’s try playing the hand-clapping song “Ochita Ochita.” Little kids love hand-play songs, don’t they? In this song, things fall from above, and you make gestures to match each item.
For example, when it’s an apple, a thunderbolt, or a shooting star, you can do movements like picking something up or hiding your belly button to match what’s falling.
The difficulty changes depending on how fast you sing.
Imitation play
It’s a game of playing with and imitating simple rhythmic sounds.
You listen to piano chords, imagine a living creature like an animal or a monster, and express it on the spot using your body.
For example, what would you picture when you hear light, sprightly piano sounds? A rabbit hopping up and down, or a chick toddling along? If the sounds are heavy and sonorous, you might imagine a slightly scary monster or a big elephant.
It’s a game that sparks the imagination.
An adult can demonstrate first, and then the children can imitate and play along.