[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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Vehicle Song (1–10)
Hashire Chou TokkyuuSakushi: Yamanaka Tsune / Sakkyoku: Yuasa Jōji
Many children probably love trains that speed along like super express trains, don’t they? For those kids, we recommend “Hashire Chō-Tokkyū” (“Run, Super Express”).
Just by listening to the song, you can picture a super express racing down the tracks! The detailed lyrics describe how fast it goes, how it runs, and what the express looks like, sparking the imagination more and more.
If your child loves trains, they might even spot a real train that resembles the express described in the lyrics.
Janken Traintsuruno takeshi
When it comes to songs that little children can enjoy listening to, “Janken Train” is a great choice.
It’s a song we definitely recommend dancing to together while moving your bodies.
Ask a parent or teacher to teach you the choreography.
Since the choreography includes rock-paper-scissors, which kids love, it’s sure to be a hit.
It’s also fun for children to use their whole bodies to imitate a train.
This song is recommended even for kids who aren’t confident with physical activity.
It’s good exercise too, so be sure to sing and dance along.
I like the E7 series.yume, taisei, shusshu, poppo, pantan-eki-cho
The song that mentions many names of the E7 series trains is “E7 Series Is Great.” It’s recommended for kids who want to memorize the names or love humming them.
Since it focuses specifically on the E7 series, it’s also a great pick for kids with more specialized interests.
Your child will have fun learning all about the E7 series by listening to this song.
When they actually ride or see a Shinkansen, they’ll be excited to recognize, “That’s the train from the lyrics!” Be sure to learn it together as a parent and child and try humming along.
I am a train.Shimon Masato
It’s a song released in 2003 that was played on the children’s TV show “Hirake! Ponkikki.” And amazingly, the singer is Masato Shimon, famous for “Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun” and the “Kamen Rider” theme songs, which makes this quite a rare find! Through its lyrics, it introduces jobs related to running trains, such as mechanics and stationmasters, making it an educational track for kids who love trains.
How about enjoying the song while chatting about it, saying, “So there are jobs like this, too!”?
Go by Shinkansen! Go, go!Yokoyama Daisuke / Mitani Takumi
“Shinkansen Go! Go-Go!” is a song where kids can sing while pretending to be their admired Shinkansen driver or the cart-service attendant.
Many children look up to jobs related to the Shinkansen, especially the drivers.
This song lets those kids enjoy a mini work-experience.
Rather than just singing, we recommend fully getting into character—move like them, imitate the spoken lines, and play freely! This song might even inspire some children to turn it into their real dream for the future.
Songs of Vehicles (11–20)
Playing bus (pretend bus play)Sakushi: Kayama Yoshiko / Sakkyoku: Yuyama Akira
This lively children’s song by Yoshiko Kayama and Akira Yuyama captures the excitement of setting off on a trip in a big bus.
Set to a rhythmic melody, it gently portrays children enjoying pretend play with vehicles.
It’s a song you can sing while moving your hands and body, so it naturally brings smiles to children’s faces.
Long cherished in childcare and educational settings, it’s also used as a play song.
With spring outing season approaching, why not sing it together as a family before a walk or a day out? If everyone enjoys it while keeping the beat, it will surely create wonderful memories in children’s hearts.
Spring Song (11–20)
Japanese songs that make you feel spring!
Warm and pleasantly comfortable spring weather. It’s the perfect season for children to play outside, isn’t it? Here, we introduce recommended nursery rhymes that perfectly match spring scenery. How about taking a walk while humming traditional Japanese songs that have been passed down through the generations? Reference article:Nursery rhymes to sing in spring: a collection of classic songs you'll want to sing with your children
Spring Songs (1–10)
Hello with a handshakeNEW!Sakushi: Mado Michio / Sakkyoku: Watanabe Shigeru
This piece, with lyrics by Mado Michio and music by Shigeru Watanabe, is perfect for spring, when hearts flutter with new encounters.
It portrays meeting someone during a walk, shaking hands, having a brief chat, and parting ways.
The warm melody by the lyricist of “Zō-san” and the composer of “Takibi,” songs everyone knows, truly resonates.
It’s also perfect for events like kindergarten and school entrance ceremonies! As a hand-play song that can ease the tension of first meetings, why not sing it with teachers and new friends, all with smiles?