Nursery rhymes and fingerplay songs to enjoy in May! Songs perfect for the fresh green season
In dazzlingly green May, many of you are surely looking for children’s songs and hand-play tunes to sing with kids at daycare or at home.
Songs that evoke spring really capture children’s hearts and add color to everyday activities.
In this article, we’ll introduce plenty of nursery rhymes and hand-play songs perfect for May.
From familiar, easy-to-sing melodies to ones that get kids moving, we’ve got a wide range—so try incorporating them into your daily childcare and parent-child time!
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Nursery rhymes and hand-play songs to enjoy in May! Perfect songs for the fresh green season (1–10)
Hey, Kaba-kun!sakushi: nakagawa itsuko / sakkyoku: nakagawa hirotaka
With its calm and gentle atmosphere, this song was released in April 2007 as a picture book with a CD, and together with illustrations by Hiroshi Abe, a former zookeeper at Asahiyama Zoo, it became a tune rooted in children’s daily lives.
Created by Hirotaka Nakagawa and Itsuko Nakagawa, the work also encourages children’s curiosity about animals through its focus on hippos.
It was featured on the TV program Hirake! Ponkikki and has long been loved by many children.
Its relaxed tempo and melody perfectly match the laid-back image of hippos, making it great for singing along with your child.
Why not hum it happily on a spring field trip or during a visit to the zoo?
I want to scribble on the sky.sakushi: Yamagami Michio / sakkyoku: Izumi Taku
Let us introduce a dream-filled children’s song that’s perfect for the season when May’s fresh greenery sparkles.
Created by Michio Yamagami (lyrics) and Taku Izumi (music), this piece is a delightful song that nurtures children’s rich imagination.
With lyrics brimming with free-spirited dreams—like a big apple tree, a bulldog, and a long bridge—paired with a light, cheerful melody, it’s truly charming.
It’s included on the albums “Kodomo no Uta: Paku Paku Itadakimasu!” and “Ukiuki Wakuwaku! Kodomo no Uta,” and is also used as teaching material in kindergartens and nursery schools.
It’s a wonderful song to enjoy the joys of spring—whether you sing it while looking up at the sky on a walk, or sing along with friends while drawing pictures.
A strawberry is a strawberry.Sakushi: Kotaki Kiyomi / Sakkyoku: Fujita Taishi
This is a charming song with a bright, rhythmic, and fun melody paired with heartwarming lyrics.
It was broadcast in May 1997 as the “Song of the Month” on NHK’s Okaasan to Issho, with lyrics by Kiyomi Kotaki and music by Taishi Fujita.
The gently told story follows a protagonist who dreams of becoming a cake and, while chasing that dream, discovers their own true self—making it a song that enriches children’s imaginations.
Sung and beloved by Kentaro Hayami and Ayumi Shigemori, it was later carried on by Akihiro Sugita and Ryoko Tsumoda.
It is also included on the album NHK Okaasan to Issho Memorial Album and has been cherished by many children.
It’s perfect for humming during walks or outdoor play, and for singing together on spring field trips or fun outings.
When sung with family, it’s sure to become a wonderful memory that shares the joy of spring.
Nursery rhymes and fingerplay songs to enjoy in May! Perfect songs for the season of fresh greenery (11–20)
Let’s go to the park.Sakushi/Sakkyoku: Sakata Osamu
This popular song from NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho” is characterized by a bright tone that evokes the arrival of spring and a lively, uplifting rhythm.
Created by Osamu Sakata, it features lyrics that convey the joy of playing outdoors and a warm worldview that can be enjoyed across generations, from babies to the elderly.
It was sung by Ayumi Shigemori and Kentaro Hayami in August 1999, and around the same time it was also included on Ikkokudō’s album “Niji no Mukou ni.” It’s a heartwarming piece you’ll want to hum with someone special during a sunny walk or playtime at the park—perfect for enjoying with family and friends in the fresh green season.
The Turtle’s ExcursionSakushi: Shinzawa Toshihiko / Sakkyoku: Nakagawa Hirotaka
An adorable song starring a laid-back turtle, its bright and breezy melody is sure to soothe the heart.
The scenes—like getting a backpack ready three days before a field trip, and finally arriving at the meeting spot around noon—are brimming with humor that makes you smile.
With lyrics by Toshihiko Shinzawa and music by Hirotaka Nakagawa, the piece was first released to the world in 1994 on the album “Sora to Tomodachi,” and has since become widely loved in kindergartens and nursery schools.
In November 2021, it was also included on the album “Toshihiko Shinzawa & Hirotaka Nakagawa Songs <30th Anniversary Commemorative Children’s Chorus Edition>,” celebrating 30 years of their partnership.
It’s a fun song through which children can learn the value of going at their own pace.
strollSakushi: Nakagawa Rieko / Sakkyoku Hisaishi Joe
Warm May days are perfect for a stroll! And the perfect song to listen to on such a walk is the opening theme from Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbor Totoro.
Singing along will surely make you want to explore all sorts of places.
The names Satsuki and Mei from My Neighbor Totoro come from the old Japanese name for May and the English word for May, respectively, so both the song and the film are a perfect match for the month.
How about spending Golden Week by taking a walk while singing this song, then coming home to watch My Neighbor Totoro?
The Bento Bus SongSakushi / Sakkyoku: Shinju Mariko
This heartwarming song, written and composed by beloved children’s picture book author Mariko Shinju, depicts food items cheerfully boarding a bus.
Its rhythmic, catchy melody and lyrics that roll out ingredient names one after another create a lively atmosphere that makes you want to move your body.
Released in 2017 as part of King Records’ “Suku♪Iku” series, it also saw a new version by Icchi & Naru in 2025.
Widely used for hand-play activities in nurseries and kindergartens and as a tool for food education, this delightful track makes mealtimes more enjoyable—perfect for singing along while cooking in the kitchen or humming during lunchbox prep for a field trip.