Recommended children's songs and hand play songs for October! Music time in childcare that feels like autumn.
The season of children’s songs that warmly embrace the heart in October has arrived.
Crimson dragonflies at dusk, cosmos flowers, golden rice ready for harvest, and children going out to collect acorns and fallen leaves… Scenes that color autumn in Japan are beautifully depicted in the lyrics and melodies of these songs.
In this article, we introduce autumn children’s songs beloved in early childhood settings, as well as seasonal finger-play songs you can enjoy with kids.
Please sing these autumn songs—cherished across generations—together with your loved ones, children and adults alike!
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Recommended nursery rhymes & fingerplay songs for October! Autumn-themed music time in childcare (11–20)
Donguri Korokoro
“Donguri Korokoro” is a famous children’s song with lyrics by Aoki Zonji and music by Yanada Tadashi.
It’s also one of the autumn songs that children love.
The song charmingly depicts an acorn rolling along.
Because it’s short and lends itself to hand-play motions, it’s perfect for hand-play time at daycare and kindergarten.
It’s such a well-known song that very few children don’t know it, so be sure to sing it together and enjoy it in the fall.
Konkon fox
This is a hand-play song where you make fox shapes with both hands.
When it comes to a fox’s cry, we think of “kon kon,” right? In this song, you sing that cry in various styles, like “quietly” or “cool,” and more.
Children can freely express the cry, and because its feel changes each time, they’ll wonder, “What will the cry sound like next?” and stay engaged.
At the end, both hands go on the lap to show a “ready-to-listen” posture, so it’s also a great song to gather everyone’s attention during transitions!
One Little Ghost
October brings the big event of Halloween, doesn’t it? “Ippai Obake” (“Lots of Ghosts”) is a hand-play song perfect for Halloween.
Although it’s called a hand-play song, it turns into a fun activity where you can move your whole body by the end.
It’s great because kids can enjoy it either sitting or standing.
Despite the title “Ippiki Obake” (“One Little Ghost”), the number of ghosts grows as the song goes on, and there’s a surprising movement at the end that kids will love! It’s perfect for all kinds of occasions—sports days, Halloween parties, and get-togethers with friends.
peach, apple, pear, pineapple
A hand game song that uses fruits loved by children lets them learn while having fun.
In this song, kids move their bodies to a rhythmic tune themed around autumn harvests like peaches and apples.
The lyrics are simple, but the way you pretend to have eaten the fruits and gradually leave them out makes it a playful activity that helps build children’s memory and concentration.
Often used in nurseries and kindergartens, this hand game is perfect for children around ages 3 to 5.
Why not include it in autumn events or daily childcare and have everyone sing and play together? It’s a lovely song that helps kids learn fruit names while also feeling the change of seasons!
Halloween is a big commotiondeguchi takashi
When it comes to autumn events, it’s got to be Halloween! Takashi Deguchi’s song captures that fun perfectly.
It’s packed with the lively atmosphere and excitement of Halloween that kids love.
Drawing on his experience as a nursery school teacher, Deguchi delivers lyrics and melodies that truly capture children’s hearts.
Released digitally in October 2019, this track is perfect for the Halloween season.
It’s sure to shine in a variety of settings, from school events to family Halloween parties.
Let’s all sing and dance and enjoy Halloween to the fullest!
Delicious Aki
As the saying ‘autumn is the season of hearty appetites’ goes, fall is full of delicious foods.
That’s why I’d like to introduce “Oishii Aki” (“Delicious Autumn”).
It’s a fun piece that highlights seasonal foods like chestnuts, sweet potatoes, and Pacific saury, and it makes you excited to see what will appear next.
Another fun point is that you can play along with choreography tailored to each ingredient.
Through the play, children can become interested in autumn foods and learn the names of ingredients.
It also ends quietly, so it’s great for transitioning to picture books or the next activity.
Recommended Nursery Rhymes & Fingerplay Songs for October! Autumn-Themed Music Time in Early Childhood Education (21–30)
Shōjōji’s Raccoon Dog Festival Music
Under the moonlight, the sight of the tanuki drumming on their bellies is so charming.
This piece, characterized by its bright, rhythmic, and bouncy melody, is said to have been composed based on the “Tanuki Bayashi Legend” of Kisarazu City in Chiba Prefecture.
Many people probably thought the title Shōjōji was pronounced “Shojoji” when they were children, but the correct reading is “Shōjōji.”