[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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Summer Songs (1–10)
Mitsuya Cider
The educational duo Mana & Yuu—Mana Onochi (known as “Mana”) and Yuki Hamasaki (known as “Yuu”)—run the popular educational YouTube channel “Manayuu Channel,” which features lots of children’s songs and hand-play activities that kids can enjoy.
This time, with summer as the theme, let’s introduce a song about Mitsuya Cider, the first beverage that comes to mind for many when thinking of summer.
The cute choreography that expresses the fizzy carbonation is sure to delight children.
The lyrics also include counting—one, two, three—so it’s great for helping little ones learn numbers.
Yokai Shiritorisakushi: okuhara yume/sakkyoku: tane tomoko
The yokai challenge the so-called “Yokai Professor,” who supposedly knows everything about monsters, to a shiritori showdown…
Set to a slightly eerie minor key and a thumping, resonant bassline, the rapid-fire, rhythmic string of yokai names somehow makes your heart race with excitement.
From the smug opening that screams confidence, you can gradually see them getting cornered and flustered, and when they finally lose and sulk, the yokai are irresistibly cute and endearing.
It’s a song you’ll want to sing together while bantering with your kids.
Summer Songs (11–20)
seaSakushi: Hayashi Ryūha / Sakkyoku: Inoue Takeshi
A well-known school song that conjures up vivid images of the vast blue sea.
It’s also famous that lyricist Ryuha Hayashi and composer Takeshi Inoue both came from Gunma Prefecture, which has no coastline.
Perhaps that’s why the piece overflows with pure awe and longing for a scene they encountered for the first time.
Introduced in a Ministry of Education textbook in 1941, it was later selected in 2007 as one of the “100 Best Japanese Songs.” Many people may find childhood memories of singing it coming back.
It’s a classic that brings gentle moments, inviting parents and children to hum along together.
Row the boat
We’d like to introduce the hand-play song “Ofune o Koide,” which is perfect for keeping things fun and cheerful even in the hot summer.
Moving in a way that feels like you’re rowing a boat to a pleasant rhythm naturally brings smiles to everyone’s faces.
The lyrics convey scenes like swaying waves and blowing wind, letting you feel as if you’re actually out at sea on an adventure.
It also sounds fun to sit facing a friend, hold hands, and do it together! Adding a sound effect like “Splash!” between sections of the song will make it even more exciting.
Give it a try for inspiration!
The Goldfish’s Nap
The relaxed song “Goldfish’s Nap” is a popular children’s nursery rhyme.
If you sing it as a lullaby at nap time, some kids find it so soothing that they fall asleep right away.
The gentle movements of the goldfish—and the moments when it seems to pause completely—are adorable and make it feel as if the goldfish itself is napping.
The lyrics are easy to remember, so if you sing it repeatedly, children can sing along.
It’s also recommended to sing it together with a picture book that features goldfish.
When the Dock (Japanese knotweed) blooms
Let me introduce “When the Dock Blooms,” a song with a gentle melody and a bright tempo.
It’s a song about a flower called sukanpo (dock) that blooms in spring.
This warm children’s song evokes nostalgia, depicting children playing happily and energetically in the fields.
Because it includes repeated phrases that help you feel the season, even children around two years old can enjoy joining in.
Of course, it’s also a soothing piece for babies from 0 years old to listen to.
Be sure to try singing it with your children.
Ms. Himawari
Sunflowers, with their large yellow blossoms facing the sun, are uplifting just to look at, aren’t they? How about singing this sunflower-themed song, “Himawari-san,” together with the children? Its slow, gentle melody is easy to get familiar with, and the many repeated lyrics make it simple even for younger kids to remember—one of its charms.
When everyone sings, try forming a sunflower shape with both hands or stretching tall and singing up toward the sky; it’s a great way to nurture children’s expressive skills, so it’s highly recommended.
If you sing with big smiles and lots of energy, their hearts and bodies may grow quickly—just like summer sunflowers!