Kids go wild! Popular hand games and fun sing-alongs

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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Play song ‘On the Bus’Sakushi/Sakkyoku: Taniguchi Kunihiro

Kasama Tomobe Tomobe Kindergarten Childcare Information: “Hand Play & Song Play Vol. 39 – Riding the Bus”

When it comes to things little kids love, both boys and girls, vehicles like cars and buses are at the top of the list.

This is perfect for children who love going out or often draw buses and cars in their pictures.

This song is a fun activity where you sit side by side with your child and pretend to drive a bus with simple motions.

You can also place the child on someone’s lap and bounce your legs to mimic the bus’s vibrations—kids will be delighted.

It’s a great recommendation for rainy days or times when you can’t go outside.

From inside the cabbage

[With vocals] From Inside the Cabbage – Children’s Song / Hand Play Song

Here is an introduction to the hand-play song “From Inside the Cabbage.” This is a game where you use both hands in time with the lyrics, pretending your hands are a cabbage.

One by one, little caterpillars pop out from inside the cabbage.

Since you extend your fingers in order, it might be a bit difficult for infants, but watching them imitate the teacher and sing along is absolutely adorable! And the way the hands come together at the end to become a butterfly is super cute, too!

five melon breadsSakushi: Nakagawa Hirotaka / Sakkyoku: Igirisu dōyō

[Finger Play] Five Melon Buns (with actions) [Takashi’s Hand Play & Children’s Song] Japanese Children’s Song, Finger Play Songs

Derived from a British nursery rhyme, the fingerplay “Five Melon Buns” captivates children with its regular rhythm and fun actions.

The phrases using numbers from one to five, repeated over and over, can help children naturally learn how to count.

The frequently appearing melon buns have their own storyline, allowing children to enjoy using their imagination.

By changing your voice and using big gestures, you can have fun together with the children.

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miyabi

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Close It, Open It

♪Close Them, Open Them

Let’s enjoy “Musunde Hiraite” with one-year-olds who are getting better at imitation.

The song incorporates various movements, like opening and closing the hands and raising and lowering the arms in time with the music.

Watching the teacher’s example and copying it is so much fun for children.

You’ll see a range of expressions, from big smiles to very serious faces.

The key is to sing at a slow tempo so it’s easy to imitate.

Spend a wonderful time with the adorable children as they express themselves with all their might using their little hands.

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tsukada moe

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Vegetable Song

♪Vegetable Song – Tomatoes go ton-ton-ton, cabbage goes kyak-kyak-kya~♪ <with gestures>

This song, whose lyrics directly express the names and characteristics of vegetables, is a hand-play activity that even infants can enjoy.

Clap your fists together with a “ton-ton,” point your index fingers with a “pi-pi,” and freely enjoy the gestures while following the pleasant rhythm of the words.

It’s also recommended to arrange the song by adding vegetables or fruits that don’t appear in the lyrics—find them together in picture books or field guides and incorporate them.

As you sing it repeatedly, children are likely to remember many vegetable names and their features! If you include it before lunchtime, it can also support food education.

It requires no preparation and can be enjoyed anywhere, so be sure to sing it together with the children.

Ehomaki, yum!gaagaaS

[Hand Play • Setsubun] Ehōmaki Amuu / gaagaaS – Childcare, February, Ehōmaki, Play Song, Parenting, Children's Song

A hand play that children love—among them, gaagaaS’s “Ehoumaki Amu” is a perfect, fun song for the Setsubun season.

With lyrics themed around ehoumaki and a rhythmic melody, it captures children’s hearts.

The lyrics that go “amu amu amu,” mimicking the sound of eating, spark their imaginations.

Because the actions involve repeatedly eating ehoumaki while paying attention to direction, kids can learn about directions in a fun way.

If you include it in Setsubun events at nurseries or kindergartens, it’s sure to get everyone excited! It’s a wonderful song that helps children enjoy learning about a traditional Japanese custom.