Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

Perfect for sports day parachute routines! Recommended J-pop songs

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
POPS writer/editorKEI
Since discovering music during my school days, I’ve mainly listened to Japanese and Korean pop. I have experience writing articles for sites like Utaten. 2000s J-pop and 2010s K-pop were especially the soundtrack of my youth. With the mindset that “good is good,” I enjoy music across genres. Thanks to past work environments and their influence, I was exposed to lots of classic rock and kayōkyoku (Japanese popular songs), which may have broadened the scope of what I love. At RAG MUSIC, I currently focus on K-pop and J-pop. I strive to edit with a feel for the scene and an eye for hit potential.

Parachute performances at school sports days are so colorful and fun, aren’t they? Watching the children move with the parachute, puff it up, and hide under it always brings out so many smiles.

Here, we’re introducing recommended J-pop songs that are perfect for sports-day parachute routines! We’ve gathered a wide range—from songs actually used in kindergartens and nurseries to popular tracks kids know that make the performance even more enjoyable.

Please use these songs as a reference and create a fun routine together! We hope you make wonderful memories at your sports day!

Perfect for school sports day parachute routines! Recommended J‑POP songs (41–50)

Sports Day Dance: Magic of SmilesŌhara Yuiko

“The Magic of Smiles (Hanakappa Theme Song)” by Yuiko Ohara: ‘Easy Dance for Ages 2 and Up.’ A simple arranged dance perfect for recitals and sports days!

Sports Day Dance: Magic of SmilesŌhara Yuiko

“Egao no Mahō,” known as the opening song of the anime Hanakappa, features lyrics that make you imagine everyone smiling together and leave you with a warm, gentle feeling when you listen.

The melody is bright, and it’s also popular as a children’s dance song.

Since many childcare facilities hold sports days in the fall, how about performing a dance to this track? As you’d expect from such a popular song, there are many choreography videos available.

It’s perfect for a parachute (paraballoon) performance too, so give it a try!

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idolYOASOBI

YOASOBI "Idol" Official Music Video

idolYOASOBI

[Idol] YOASOBI 'Flag × Pom-pom × Easy Dance' — Theme song of Oshi no Ko — A dance you can do at sports festivals and performances! Second installment of the easy arranged dance!

YOASOBI’s song seizes the heart with its fiery performance and powerful message.

Released digitally in April 2023 as the theme song for the anime “Oshi no Ko,” it became a global hit.

The lyrics portray the inner conflicts lurking behind an idol’s facade, poignantly expressing the pain of hiding true love and vulnerability while striving for perfection.

Over a 166 BPM uptempo track, ikura’s beautiful vocals deliver a deeply moving experience.

With both high recognition and popularity, this track is also perfect for a parachute dance.

It’s sure to energize any sports day event!

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U.S.A.DA PUMP

DA PUMP / U.S.A. (short ver.)

U.S.A.DA PUMP

This is the 29th single from DA PUMP, a male dance and vocal group that has gained popularity with catchy melodies and dance performances and is loved across generations.

It’s a cover of a song originally released in 1992 by Italian singer Joe Yellow, and it sparked a social phenomenon with its catchy lyrics—often praised as “so uncool it’s cool”—and dance performance featuring the “Ii ne Dance.” The distinctive high-energy drive of Eurobeat gets not only kids but also adults pumped up.

It’s a dance number that vividly enhances a colorful parachute performance and is highly recommended as background music.

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Hoshino Takashi

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R.Y.U.S.E.I.Sandaime Jē Sōru Burazāzu fromu Eguzairu Toraibu

Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS from EXILE TRIBE / “R.Y.U.S.E.I.” Music Video

R.Y.U.S.E.I.Sandaime Jē Sōru Burazāzu fromu Eguzairu Toraibu

This is the 13th single by the dance and vocal group Sandaime J Soul Brothers from EXILE TRIBE, who have gained popularity for their emotional vocals and sophisticated dance performances.

Chosen as the campaign song for Tokyo City Keiba in 2014, it became a hot topic for the Running Man danced during the instrumental break.

Its mysteriously soaring melody feels perfect for a parachute performance under a clear blue sky.

With its deep, layered arrangement that draws you into the routine, this dance tune stylishly elevates any school sports day.

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Hoshino Takashi

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ParadiseNiziU

Elementary school WithU danced to NiziU’s “Paradise”! [Mai dancing as all nine members in a no-cut performance]

ParadiseNiziU

This is a song by NiziU written as the theme for the 2023 film Doraemon: Nobita’s Sky Utopia.

Speaking of NiziU, their hit song Make you happy and its “jump-rope dance” went viral and became popular among children.

Since this is also a Doraemon song, many kids may already know it.

Its relaxed tempo makes it easy to dance to, and the lyrics about cherishing close friends are a perfect match for a parachute dance.

There’s an official dance music video, so if you want to check the choreography all the way through, be sure to use that as a reference.

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Nyan-Para☆DanceMiyahara Hitomi

"Nyan Para☆Dance" Choreography (for Middle Preschoolers) [Kindergarten/Nursery/Certified Childcare Center/Sports Day/Recital]

Nyan-Para☆DanceMiyahara Hitomi

Watching little children dance with cat poses and cat choreography is just so cute.

Let me introduce a charming cat dance, “Nyan-Para☆Dance,” that will bring smiles to parents’ faces when everyone performs it together at the sports day.

As the title suggests, it’s a dance that includes para-para dance elements in the chorus and other parts.

If you arrange it to match a parachute (paraballoon), everyone can enjoy dancing together! It’s also adorable to add cat ears and tails to match the kitty dance.

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In conclusion

I introduced some recommended songs for the parachute (paraballoon), but did you find any you’d like to use at the sports day? Music adds an extra touch of sparkle to the already dazzling parachute performance.

Discuss the songs with the children and create a wonderful routine together!