[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!
- [Childcare] Fun Songs for 2-Year-Olds to Sing! Recommended Song Collection
- [Preschool] Recommended choral pieces for 3-year-olds
- Get pumped with kids’ favorite songs! A memorable collection of classics that will make you want to sing along
- Choral songs that captivate 4-year-olds! A collection of heartfelt song ideas for junior kindergarten recitals
- Popular Songs Ranking for Toddlers
- Nursery rhymes to sing to your baby! Recommended songs enjoyable from 0 months
- [Hand Play] Popular with kids! A collection of trendy hand-play songs and nostalgic traditional children’s songs
- [For 1-year-olds] Fun Together! Recommended Songs and Hand Play Collection
- Get pumped with popular songs from “Okaasan to Issho”! A collection of timeless tunes everyone will want to sing together
- Ranking of Popular Children's Songs [2026]
- Childcare: Today's recommended fun songs
- [For 4-year-olds] Popular and classic songs to sing at recitals and seasonal events
- Fun to dance! A roundup of recommended dance songs for young children, perfect for daycare and sports days
Autumn Songs (1–10)
Bright Red Autumnsakushi: satsuma tadashi / sakkyoku: kobayashi hideo
In addition to composing set pieces for the NHK National School Music Competition, Hideo Kobayashi has created a wide range of choral works.
“Makkana Aki” (“Deep-Red Autumn”) is one of his children’s songs about autumn.
It has been broadcast on NHK’s Minna no Uta and sometimes appears in music textbooks.
Set to a very charming melody, the song features many red-colored things you see in autumn.
It portrays two people enjoying the season as they search for red things, which makes children want to imitate them.
It’s a highly recommended classic that lets you fully feel the spirit of autumn.
Autumn Songs (11–20)
rabbit
Many children have probably heard the story that on the night of the harvest moon, there’s a little rabbit pounding rice cakes up on the moon.
This folk song depicts the shining moon in the sky and a rabbit hopping as it gazes at it.
Said to have been sung since the Edo period, this work features a melody imbued with uniquely Japanese sentiment, and its lyrics were shaped into their current form from a 1941 school textbook.
Just as people rejoice at the beautiful full moon, the rabbit, too, must be brimming with happiness.
It’s also lovely to listen while gazing at the autumn night sky, with a plate of dumplings set out beside you.
Winter Songs (11–20)
A children's song that makes you look forward to the cold winter!
For kids who aren’t good with the cold, winter might feel like a tough season. But there are also lots of things you can enjoy precisely because it’s winter! There are plenty of events like New Year’s, Hinamatsuri (Doll Festival), and Mamemaki (bean-throwing). We’ll introduce songs that will make you look forward to winter when you listen to them, so let’s enjoy the season without letting the cold get the best of us! Reference article:[Children's Songs] Cute songs recommended for childcare. List of popular nursery rhymes.
Winter Songs (1–10)
Yukifururun
This is a winter children’s song that expresses snow falling from the sky with cute words and rhythm.
It was broadcast on NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho” as the song for February and March 1988, performed by Osamu Sakata and Yuko Kanzaki.
The lyrics were written by Rumi Ono, and the music was composed by Wakako Fukuda.
There’s a hand play that imitates snowflakes landing on your palms, making it perfect for parent–child interaction.
Even on cold days, let yourself be wrapped in a gentle melody that warms the heart.
white friend(s)
Shiroi Tomodachi (“White Friends”) charmingly captures the sensibility of calling snow a “friend.” Written and composed by Osamu Sakata, it gently portrays joyful memories with snow and a farewell brought by the arrival of spring.
It’s not just about parting, but also imbued with hope for reunion, creating a heartwarming world that leaves a strong impression.
It was broadcast as the Monthly Song on NHK E TV’s “Okaasan to Issho” in February 2006, and was later included on the album “NHK Okaasan to Issho: Latest Best – Ie Yei!!” released in October 2013.
Let’s decorate with holly.
This is a song often heard around Christmas, featuring a melody from Wales.
Its cheerful rhythm and repeating phrases are very striking, aren’t they? The tune itself is old, dating back to around the late 18th century, and the current English lyrics became established in the 19th century.
In Japan, it’s also a winter staple, included in many children’s albums and loved by many.
It’s perfect as background music for parties with family and friends!
I like winter.
This piece was broadcast on “Okaasan to Issho” as the Song of the Month in January 1995.
The lyrics were written by Shinzo Higurashi, and the music was composed by Takeshi Shibuya.
Its rhythmic words capture the uniquely wintry chill in the air and the way we cool down warm food.
The bright melody leaves an impression, teaching us that there’s fun to be found even in the cold.
Give this classic winter song a listen with your child, snuggling close and letting it fill you with a toasty, heartwarming feeling.
during winter
This is a charming song with a gentle perspective that imagines what fans and wind chimes sleeping in the closet, and acorns in the soil, dream about during the winter.
It was broadcast on NHK E-Tele’s “Okaasan to Issho” as the Monthly Song for January 2017.
The song is included on the album NHK Okaasan to Issho Memorial Album Plus “Yakusoku Haaai!”, released the same year.
It’s a perfect piece for the season of eagerly awaiting spring—please enjoy it in a warm room!