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

Kids love fingerplay! When the teacher cheerfully sings and moves their hands, the children’s eyes light up as if to say, “What’s starting?” They gaze intently or try to imitate, showing such adorable reactions.

Fingerplay is essential in early childhood settings—for introducing activities or drawing children’s attention.

So this time, we’re introducing popular fingerplays and action songs for kids.

From classic routines often used in nurseries and kindergartens to trendy new ones, we’ve got plenty that will captivate children.

Find options that match their interests and age, and give them a try!

Playlist

Kids go wild! Popular hand games and fun sing-alongs
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	Are you okay? Whoops.Suzuki Tsubasa		Children’s smiles blossom with an animal-themed hand play song
2	The fish jumps.Sakushi/Sakkyoku: Nakagawa Hirotaka		Enjoy checking familiar items with fingerplay songs
3	The Bento BusSakushi / Sakkyoku: Shinju Mariko		Children’s songs for fun learning with the Food Bus Song
4	Song of the Gluttonous GorillaSakushi: Abe Naomi / Sakkyoku: Ozawa Tatsuyuki		A hand play song about a gorilla eating a banana
5	tangledSuzuki Tsubasa・Fukuda Sho		A song that captures children's hearts through hand-play games
6	Horn, horn, hoooorn!Suzuki Tsubasa・Fukuda Sho		A singing game that nurtures children's curiosity: 'Tsuno Tsuno Tsū-no'
7	Mitsuya CiderOhtaki Eiichi		Enjoy summer with the Mitsuya Cider hand game
8	Dango, dango, they stuck together.		Let's have fun moving our bodies with the Dango Song!
9	Shopping at the bakerySakushi: Sakura Tomoko / Sakkyoku: Ozawa Tatsuyuki		A hand play for enjoying shopping at the bakery
10	Vegetable Song		Enjoy food education while playing with the vegetable song
11	The department store with the penguin logoSakushi / Sakkyoku: Inukai Seiji		Have fun singing along with the penguin and department store hand-play song
12	What should I be when I grow up?		A fun fingerplay song that expresses different occupations with your fingers
13	Crocodile familySakushi: Kamitsubo Maya / Sakkyoku: Mine Akira		Move your body joyfully with a crocodile family hand-play song
14	If you’re happy and you know it, clap your handsSakamoto Kyu		The charm of hand-play songs to enjoy with children
15	From inside the cabbage		From the cabbage: a fingerplay song featuring a caterpillar
16	Play song ‘On the Bus’Sakushi/Sakkyoku: Taniguchi Kunihiro		A popular hand-play song among children who love vehicles
17	Close It, Open It		Having fun with a one-year-old using “Musunde Hiraite”
18	five melon breadsSakushi: Nakagawa Hirotaka / Sakkyoku: Igirisu dōyō		A fun hand game playing with numbers using melon bread
19	Ehomaki, yum!gaagaaS		Learn directions with a Setsubun Ehomaki fingerplay song
20	Story FingerSakushi: Kayama Yoshiko / Sakkyoku: Yuyama Akira		Let's have fun connecting with children through fingerplay songs
21	HAPPY HONEY HORSENo-zan Ho-su Pa-ku		Parents and children have fun bonding with a horse-themed hand play song
22	Toy Cha-Cha-Cha		Expand children's dreams with a toy song
23	Applause for you!Hanada Yuuichirou, Nagata Maya, Fukuo Makoto, Akimoto Azuki		NHK’s cheer song “A Round of Applause for You!”
24	Let’s clap our handssakushi: kobayashi jun’ichi/genkyoku: cheko minyō		A song that expresses joy with handclaps, loved by a wide range of generations.
25	Get on the busSakushi sakkyoku: Taniguchi Kunihiro		The charm of a nursery rhyme that delights in the bus’s jostling
26	The fish jumps.		A fun hand game where fish jump and stick together
27	Whale ClockSakushi: Seki Kazuo / Sakkyoku: Shibuya Takeshi		A classic children's song that teaches the importance of time
28	The Bento Box SongSakushi: Kayama Yoshiko / Sakkyoku: Kobayashi Akihiro		The Bento Box Song, a beloved classic among children
29	Vegetable SongYamano Satoko		Music that joyfully sings the names of vegetables
30	Bamboo Shoot ExercisesSakushi: Nakazawa Yoshihiro / Sakkyoku: Koshibe Nobuyoshi		Supporting children's growth through fun gymnastics
31	Child of AbrahamAmerika Gasshūkoku no dōyō		A fun play song popular with children: Abraham's Song
32	Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star		Introduction to the hand play for “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”
33	Playing bus (pretend bus play)Sakushi: Kayama Bi / Sakkyoku: Yuyama Akira		A cheerful song melody on the bus
34	a big drumSakushi: Kobayashi Junichi / Sakkyoku: Nakada Yoshinao		A fun hand-play song with taiko rhythms
35	Spring came pop-pop-popsakushi: kozue hikari / sakkyoku: sako shinichirō		Brighten and energize children's hearts with songs of spring
36	Are you good at brushing your teeth?Sakushi: Enoki Fujio / Sakkyoku: Fukuda Wakako		Support children's habit-building with a toothbrushing song
37	What shall we make with rock, scissors, paper?Lyrics: Saitō Fumiko ・ Production: Good Choice / Composition: French folk song		Transform imaginatively by interlacing your hands in a hand play song
38	Happy ChildrenShinzawa Toshihiko		A song where children's smiles spread happiness
39	Gramps and Grannywarabeuta		Nursery rhymes to enjoy with your baby
40	Five melon breads at the bakery.Sakushi: Nakagawa Hirotaka / Sakkyoku: Igirisu dōyō		Enjoy counting with the Melon Pan hand-play song
41	Chochi chochi awawa.warabeuta		Games that strengthen the parent-child bond through nursery rhymes
42	A caterpillar		Children fascinated by bugs in a springtime park
43	A-I-U-E-O nigiriSakushi Sakkyoku: Shuu Saeko		Singing about the joy of making rice balls and the bonds of family
44	Animal Exercises 1-2-3Sakushi • Sakkyoku: Abe Naomi		A fun kids’ exercise song with animal movements
45	Squeeze, squeeze, kashiwa mochi.Sakushi: Sakura Tomoko / Sakkyoku: Ozawa Tatsuyuki		Enjoying with children using the Kashiwa-mochi hand-play song
46	Picnicdeguchi takashi		Takashi Deguchi’s Field Picnic Hand-Play Song
47	If you’re happy and you know it, clap your handsAmerika min’yō (sakushi: Kimura Toshihito)		A hand-clapping song filled with peace and friendship: 'Ue o Muite Arukou' (Sukiyaki)
48	Piglet-raccoon dog-fox-catSakushi sakkyoku: Yamamoto Naozumi		Let's have fun with Naosumi Yamamoto's hand-play nursery rhymes
49	Let’s draw a picture in the blue sky.Sakushi: Kazumi Kazuki / Sakkyoku: Hajime Kamishiba		The Appeal of Songs That Nurture Children's Dreams and Hopes
50	Song of Feathers		Shimajiro’s song of words that start with “ke”
51	The Hiragana Song		Fun musical materials for learning hiragana
52	Rhythm Game ‘The Greengrocer’		Finger plays and word plays at the greengrocer’s are fun.
53	Churippu sharippuwarabe uta		Connecting children's hearts through nursery rhymes
54	What is your name?Sakushi: Fushō / Sakkyoku: Indoneshia min’yō		A cheerful folk song to ease children's nerves
55	Hand play ‘The Flower Smiled’Sakushi: Hotomi Kōgo / Sakkyoku: Yuyama Akira		Ease children's nerves at the kindergarten entrance ceremony with spring nursery rhymes.
56	yomogi-jōbu nowarabeuta		Fun hand games, full of children's smiles
57	The Bento Box Songwarabeuta		Let's learn with fun through the Bento Box Song