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