[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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Songs to Stop Crying / Lullabies (1–10)
Edo Lullaby
This is a traditional Japanese lullaby that originated in Edo and spread across various regions, and is even said to be the root of many lullabies.
I’m sure many of you are familiar with it.
Its calm, whisper-like melody is enough to make you sleepy.
It’s a lullaby that even children can easily sing.
Mozart’s Lullaby
This piece has long been known as “Mozart’s Lullaby” and was thought to have been written by Mozart.
However, recent research, drawing on materials found in a Hamburg library, has revealed that it was composed by Bernhard Flies, a physician and composer.
As a result, it is sometimes referred to as “Flies’s Lullaby.” The lyrics were written by Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter.
In Japan, the most widely known and sung Japanese translation is by Keizo Horiuchi.
It’s a lovely piece in a gentle triple meter.
In a dreamSakushi: Higurashi Shinzō / Sakkyoku: Shibuya Takeshi
Tsuyoshi Shibuya, well known as a Japanese jazz pianist.
Since the 1980s, he has also contributed works as a composer to children’s programs such as NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho,” and this is one of those songs.
It’s easy to remember, yet it’s a wonderful piece sprinkled with stylish touches characteristic of jazz musicians.
On “Okaasan to Issho,” it was often sung by Brother Kentaro and Sister Ayumi.
I imagine some of you grew up listening to this song.
Light of Fireflies
This is a Japanese children’s song based on the Scottish folk song “Auld Lang Syne.” It’s a classic tune that plays at school dismissal time.
Although it has a somewhat melancholy feel, its gentle melody is comforting and makes it perfect as a lullaby!
Mom’s lullabyMayumiinu
This is a lullaby themed around an elephant parent and child, set to a gentle melody.
In the first half, it softly tells a story like a read-aloud, then the intro begins and it moves into the singing part.
As a lullaby, its appeal lies in the very calm, warm melody that evokes the tender gaze of a mother watching over her child.
It’s a piece you can use to gently stroke the body or rock like a cradle in time with the relaxed tempo.
Like the elephant parent and child, it seems sure to lead to a happy, peaceful sleep.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Speaking of children’s songs with a star motif that you want to sing at night, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” is well known.
It’s a piece that gently sings about the beautiful stars floating in the sky with a tender melody.
It’s also taught for performance in schools on instruments like the melodica and recorder, so it’s nice to have children sing it a lot and learn the melody.
Originally, it was a chanson popular in France, and the title “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” is a parody version.
The original song’s Japanese title would be something like “Hey, Mother,” and its lyrics are also deeply evocative—why not give them a read?
Nenyamoya
This song with the curious title is a lullaby often sung in the Tsugaru region, and the representative lyrics are said to be from the Hirosaki area.
It is also believed that the title means something like, “Where has the child’s caretaker gone?” In the past, there was a practice called komori-boko, where children who worked as babysitters were hired by farming households and were allowed to return home during Obon or New Year’s.
This fascinating lullaby, which reflects the social background of Japan in earlier times, also has historical value.
May these orally transmitted lullabies be recorded and passed down to future generations.
Songs of Fairy Tales (11–20)
Fun fairy-tale songs you can learn by singing!
Some nursery rhymes are like turning an entire fairy tale into a song. By singing the song, you can understand the story, so it feels like reading a picture book while singing. Here are carefully selected songs based on stories everyone knows! Reference article: