[Childcare] Recommended songs and nursery rhymes for November: Fun autumn fingerplay songs
November is late autumn—the season of falling leaves—and a time when we start to feel winter approaching.
This time, we’ve gathered children’s songs and fingerplay songs with a November theme.
From pieces that evoke autumn scenery to songs that hint at the coming of winter, we’ll introduce plenty of sing-and-play fingerplay tunes!
They’re perfect for play at home, daycare, or kindergarten, so be sure to give them a try.
We’ve provided movement examples, but it’s also fun to arrange them in your own style!
Before the real cold sets in, let’s all sing and play together on these autumn days!
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[Childcare] Recommended songs and nursery rhymes for November: Fun autumn finger-play songs (21–30)
Sweet Potato Song
Autumn is often called the season of hearty appetites, and many foods are delicious then—but when it comes to kids’ favorite fall foods, sweet potatoes are at the top of the list! You probably have lots of chances to go sweet potato digging or enjoy roasted sweet potatoes at home or at kindergarten.
That’s when you’ll want to sing the “Sweet Potato Song” together with the children.
Its lyrics are all about sweet potatoes and it has a cheerful feel that kids are sure to love.
In particular, the opening part that mimics the sound of a little toot will really get the kids excited when you sing it together!
Sticky-bug bug
“Hittsuki Mushi-Mushi” is a play song where you stick to something that matches the color mentioned in the lyrics.
Like the game “Color Tag,” kids love this kind of play! If you’re playing outside in November, choosing colors like red, brown, yellow, and black to match the seasonal scenery makes the game easier and adds a sense of the season—highly recommended.
Of course, it’s fun indoors too, so give it a try!
[Childcare] Recommended songs and nursery rhymes for November: Fun autumn finger-play songs (31–40)
Waltz of the MountainsSakushi: Kayama Yoshiko / Sakkyoku: Yuyama Akira
A story about a kindergarten in the mountains, attended by animals, sung to a cheerful waltz.
It’s the children’s song “Mountain Waltz,” which evokes a lively, joyful scene in your mind.
First, the sprightly, humming-friendly melody is one reason it’s recommended.
Also, since the lyrics talk about time, it’s perfect for when you want to start teaching how to read a clock.
Squirrels, goats, and bears appear in the song, so it might be fun to have your child think about how to act them out or express them.
ramen
Ramen, a food loved all across Japan by adults and children alike.
Many of you probably make it at home, too.
So why not enjoy a children’s song with a ramen theme? The lyrics are very simple and easy to remember, and the gestures are simple as well.
You can even make your own parody version to suit your tastes.
Singing and playing might make you crave ramen, so watch out if you’re on a diet! But if it’ll make your kids happy, you might as well cook some!
larchSakushi: Nogami Akira / Sakkyoku: Kobayashi Hideo
The characters for “落葉松” are read as “karamatsu.” Unlike other pines, the karamatsu (Japanese larch) is distinctive in that it sheds its needles in autumn.
This song depicts the autumn scenery of Karuizawa, and its lyricist, Akira Nogami, also wrote a novel titled “Karuizawa Monogatari” (The Karuizawa Story).
It’s well known as a choral piece, too.
a maple leafSakushi sakkyoku: Sasaki Nobutsuna
This is a charming children’s song written and composed by Nobutsuna Sasaki.
It depicts a heartwarming scene that brings to mind a child delighting in comparing fluttering, falling leaves with their own hands.
Its gentle melody makes it easy for children to sing, and the lyrics are filled with words that warm the heart.
It’s perfect not only for singing in preschools and kindergartens, but also for humming along with your child on an autumn stroll.
Be sure to sing together and enjoy the colors of the season.
Meat buns and sweet bean paste buns
A hand-clapping song themed around nikuman and anman, classics of the cold season.
Like the widely used standard hand game song “Gu Choki Paa de Nani Tsukurou,” it is based on the French folk song “Frère Jacques,” making it easy and familiar for both children and nursery teachers to learn.
Because you shape various foods in time with the song, it’s more accessible for younger children compared to “Gu Choki Paa de Nani Tsukurou,” which requires you to come up with ideas yourself.
It’s a simple hand-clapping song that’s perfect for chilly November.
