[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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Children’s songs: Popular nursery rhymes (1–10)
tomatoMizutani Reiko
A vegetable kids love—tomatoes! How about a song by Reiko Mizutani with tomatoes as the theme? The lyrics describe how tomatoes grow and their characteristics, filled with humorous expressions that are sure to bring smiles to children’s faces as they sing.
If parents and teachers join in, it’ll make for a fun time together.
The chorus repeats, so hop on the rhythm and sing out with lots of energy!
Story FingerSakushi: Kayama Yoshiko / Sakkyoku: Yuyama Akira
Haven’t you ever played a game where you assign your family members to the five fingers on your hand? This is the cute family song born on those fingers, “Ohanashi Yubisan.” In the song, the thumb is the father, the index finger is the mother, the middle finger is the older brother, the ring finger is the older sister, and the little finger is the baby, with each one’s characteristics sung about.
It portrays everyone cheerfully chatting together, each with a different way of laughing.
As you sing, try looking at your own fingers and think, “Which finger is the father? Which is the mother?” It’s also fun to actually decorate each finger to bring the family to life!
a small garden
“Chiisana Niwa” is a hand-play song that’s easy to do and beloved in nurseries and kindergartens.
It sings about seeds sown in a garden sprouting and blooming.
Children perform hand motions to match the lyrics, and the key is to adjust the size of the movements to the size of the seeds.
Since the same motions are repeated three times, kids can naturally learn it while enjoying the song and choreography.
It’s a nursery rhyme that brings smiles as children try the cute bloom-at-the-end gesture.
It’s also great to perform at a recital with the teacher’s piano accompaniment.
Children’s songs: Popular nursery rhymes (11–20)
Watermelon-producing regionSakushi Sakkyoku: TRADITIONAL
It’s hard to pin down exactly what “the home of famous watermelons” is supposed to mean, but it’s a gentle song that feels like, “It’s a really lovely place where lots of good things happen.” The lyrics used in the title fit the melody in a curiously perfect way, and they really tickle a child’s fancy.
My Neighbor TotoroInoue Azumi
What’s your favorite Ghibli movie? There are all kinds of so-called Ghibli films, and personally, I feel like, “I don’t want Ghibli movies to have fighting or blood.” In that sense, My Neighbor Totoro has a fairy-tale quality that also connects to folktales, doesn’t it? Totoro’s true nature is unknown, but it’s cute! This song, with its snappy tempo, could even work as a march.
If everyone’s going to sing it together, to put it a bit dramatically, even if you don’t know the A or B sections, I think it’s enough to belt out that distinctive chorus.
Kids’ eyes always sparkle when they’re singing this song!
The Magic of Do-Re-MiSakushi: Noda Kaoru / Sakkyoku: Moriwaka Kaori
Here is a fun song sung by the all-female band GO-BANG’S, famous for “Aini Kite I-NEED-YOU,” called “Doremi no Mahō.” It was also broadcast on NHK’s music program “Minna no Uta.” Since it uses the familiar do-re-mi scale as its theme, it naturally feels friendly and approachable.
The gentle, heartwarming lyrics—like “We’re excited for the life that’s about to begin.
Let’s all walk forward together”—are lovely, too.
Even if you slow the quick tempo a bit, it won’t feel out of place at all.
You can also add choreography, such as pointing or clapping, during the key do-re-mi parts.
Momotarosakushi: fushō / sakkyoku: Okano Teiichi
This song, themed around a traditional Japanese folktale, is a lively march that instantly captivates children.
The lyrics, centered on courage and friendship, depict Momotaro and his companions joining forces to defeat the ogres.
The way they gain new allies through kibi dango (millet dumplings) teaches the importance of cooperation.
It’s perfect for everyone to sing together in classrooms or at sports festivals.
If you sing while moving energetically, it’s sure to bring out plenty of smiles from the children!