[Children's Songs] Cute songs recommended for childcare. List of popular nursery rhymes.
Kids love to sing!
Singing is a form of exercise, nurtures interest in language, and helps develop expressiveness and a sense of rhythm.
It’s also said that singing releases “happy hormones,” making it effective for relieving stress.
Bring plenty of music into daily life and sing freely together with your children.
This time, we’re introducing popular children’s songs we’d love you to sing and play with your kids!
We’ve collected everything from classic nursery rhymes passed down through the years to the latest hit songs.
You can search songs by category—animals, vehicles, food, and more—so you’re sure to find the perfect tune for your children.
If you add simple choreography or hand-play motions as well as singing, the kids will be thrilled!
Be sure to explore a variety of nursery rhymes and enjoy happy times with your children!
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The Food Song (1–10)
Vegetable Song
Vegetables that we tend to push to the edge of the plate without thinking.
Many kids don’t like vegetables, right? This one is also a fingerplay song, so try singing and playing along as you encourage them to take on those tricky veggies.
The Bento Box Song
A children’s song about making a bento.
Many of you probably remember it well, right? The ingredients that appear are rice balls and ginger, carrots, cherries, burdock root, butterbur, and shiitake mushrooms.
You can’t help but wish at least for a rolled omelet to be included.
Actually, there’s also a modern version of the song.
And what goes in it is—believe it or not—a sandwich.
It definitely feels tailored to the present day.
Still, the side dishes in that one are plain too…
By the way, both versions are popular as hand-play songs, and regardless of the side dishes, it’s still a favorite among children today!
Furu Furu Fruit
As the title suggests, the song features the names of many fruits.
It includes familiar ones like apples and peaches, as well as fruits children might not know yet, such as kiwis and papayas, so it’s very educational.
There’s also simple choreography that goes along with the song, so try learning it and dancing together.
It’s great for singing at home, and it would also be perfect to perform at a kindergarten or preschool recital.
It’s a highly recommended song because kids can move their bodies while building knowledge.
Five melon buns
This song lets you study math while singing a hand-play song.
There are five melon breads, and then the children buy one, then another.
You can have fun while thinking about how the five melon breads decrease in number.
It’s highly recommended because you can enjoy learning while singing.
This song might help children overcome their dislike of math.
Try singing it together with your child before they start elementary school.
It could also be a good review for children who are already in elementary school.
Ice Cream SongHattori Koichi
It’s a charming children’s song with a rhythm reminiscent of the background music you hear at Disneyland.
The sounds you make and feel while eating ice cream are expressed through mimetic and onomatopoeic words.
Listening to it just makes you crave ice cream!
The Curry Rice SongMineharu
It’s a simple song that introduces how to make curry.
It follows the basic steps: sauté the ingredients, simmer them, then add the roux—so even if you’ve never made curry before, try cooking along as you listen.
It’s also fun to make curry with your kids while playing this song.
Personally, I only just learned about adding pepper at the very end, so I’d like to try that next time.
By the way, the part that says “pork” can be swapped for chicken or beef, so sometimes it’s sung as “meat.” Be warned: if you listen while you’re hungry, it might really get your stomach rumbling.
Stylish fruitShibuya Takeshi
Have you ever wondered why fruits are red or yellow? Since children are very curious, some mothers may have been asked, “Why are apples red?” This song answers those kinds of questions kids have.
When they hear reasons like “because animals will eat them” and “because they want their seeds to be carried,” your child will be convinced.
It’s a highly recommended song because it helps children learn about the importance of food and the food chain.
It would be wonderful if children could learn the value of food through this song.