March nursery rhymes & hand play songs! Spring songs you can enjoy with your kids

dandelionSakushi: Kadokura Satoshi / Sakkyoku: Horikoshi Kiyoshi

Dandelion [children’s song/choral piece] Lyrics: Satoshi Kadokura / Music: Kiyoshi Horikoshi — includes harmonies ♪

Here is a song themed around the dandelion, a flower that heralds the arrival of spring.

Its lyrics are striking, overlaying the sight of the dandelion blooming robustly even in harsh conditions with people’s strength to live and their hopes.

Since its release in 1976, it has spread nationwide through the singing movement and has also been cherished as a labor struggle song.

In 2000 and 2002, it was included in elementary school music textbooks, becoming established as a choral piece featured in educational settings.

The melody, gentle yet powerful, is sure to resonate with many listeners.

It’s a recommended song when you want to feel the courage to face difficulties and the bonds between people.

one bamboo shootwarabe uta

One whole bamboo shoot

Perfect for the spring season, this song is a traditional children’s rhyme that has been loved for generations.

It features simple lyrics and a catchy melody, and its charm lies in the way children split into “oni” (tagger) and “takenoko” (bamboo shoot) roles to play.

Because kids move their bodies while singing, it’s great for developing a sense of rhythm and cooperation.

It’s also used in early childhood education, and there are videos on YouTube explaining how to play.

Sing and play energetically outdoors with family and friends, and you’re sure to enjoy the spring atmosphere even more.

Why not raise your voices together and feel the arrival of spring?

Horsetail shoots are poking up.

Nursery rhyme: Tsukushi wa tsun-tsun

A masterpiece of children’s song that lets you feel the breath of nature.

Within its simple wordplay, it deftly weaves in the moment when plants sprout, offering the delight of a stroll through spring fields and hills.

More than lofty musical artistry, it’s the easy singability that has kept it beloved for many years.

It’s also enjoyed with hand motions and is widely used in early childhood education settings.

This work beautifully expresses the Japanese sense of the seasons and a heartfelt reverence for nature, making it enjoyable across generations, from children to adults.

Why not sing it together with family and friends, feeling the arrival of a nature-rich spring?

Words of FarewellKaientai

Farewell Words / Kaientai (cover)

It’s a hit song by the folk group Kaientai, released in 1979.

March is graduation season in Japan, and this song is well-known as one of the standard tunes for graduation ceremonies.

As the theme song for the first season of the TV drama “Mr.

Kinpachi in Class 3B,” starring Tetsuya Takeda of Kaientai, it sold over one million copies.

Rice Cake Pounding on March 3warabeuta

Nursery Rhyme: The Third Day of March (Hatsune Miku & Kasane Teto)

This is a traditional Japanese children’s hand-play song (warabe-uta) themed around Hinamatsuri, the Girl’s Day festival held annually.

Speaking of the mochi eaten on March 3 for Hinamatsuri, the classic is hishimochi—diamond-shaped Japanese confectionery in three colors: red, white, and green.

It is said that hishimochi’s colors carry meanings: red honors ancestors and wards off misfortune; white signifies purity and lingering snow; and green, the color of young grass and new buds, expresses a wish for healthy growth.

Japanese bush warblerSakushi: Hayashi Ryūha / Sakkyoku: Inoue Takeshi

Uguisu (Japanese bush warbler) - Children's Song ♪ Spring Song ♪ With Dance Moves ♪

This children’s song weaves the beautiful chirping of the bush warbler, which heralds the arrival of spring, into a gentle melody and story.

Created by Yanagiha Hayashi and Takeshi Inoue, it tenderly portrays the bird perched on a plum branch announcing spring, as well as its descent from snow-laden mountains to the village, in a way that resonates with children.

Its calm triple meter and phrases that imitate the warbler’s call are distinctive, offering a cheerful, singable melody line that evokes the warmth of spring.

Beloved in schools and homes alike, it has also been covered by artists such as Saori Yuki and Shoko Yasuda.

It’s a perfect song to enjoy singing with children during spring, a season rich with opportunities to connect with nature.

Bamboo shoots are sprouting.warabeuta

[KBS Children's Songs] The Bamboo Shoot Sprouted

Through a traditional Japanese play song that evokes the arrival of spring, it gently wraps children’s hearts in warmth.

The key is choreography that engages the whole body—pressing both hands together above the head to show a sprout pushing up from the ground, or spreading both arms wide to mimic a flower in bloom.

The way it’s played varies slightly by region and has been passed down from parents to children.

It can be enjoyed not only as a hand game but also as a rock–paper–scissors game, making it popular among children in nursery schools and kindergartens.

Keeping rhythm while moving their hands and bodies, children naturally break into smiles.

This piece is a friendly song that eases the worries of children who feel anxious in new environments.

It is truly a perfect number for fostering children’s healthy growth and emotional richness.