Masterpieces that sing about play. Recommended popular songs.
We’ve put together a collection of songs themed around childhood games like hide-and-seek, marbles, swings, and paper airplanes.
Packed with bittersweet nostalgia for the games everyone has experienced and the tender, aching feelings of childhood, this playlist is full of heart-tugging tracks.
- Songs that hype you up just by listening—recommended tracks from timeless classics to the latest releases
- Get pumped with kids’ favorite songs! A memorable collection of classics that will make you want to sing along
- Exciting to listen to! A happy song that makes you feel good
- Kids will love it! A collection of dance song ideas with easy-to-follow rhythms
- [2026] Get in the Groove Just by Listening! A Collection of Recommended Popular J-POP Songs
- [2026] Fast-Rising Music: A Roundup of Trending Songs
- Childcare: Today's recommended fun songs
- Coming-of-age songs for your 50s: heart-thumping × heartwarming classics and popular tracks [2026]
- [Scout Songs] Classic & Popular Songs of the Boy Scouts
- Classic songs about boys. Recommended popular tracks.
- A collection of classic songs about friends: friendship songs for children
- [Hand Play] Popular with kids! A collection of trendy hand-play songs and nostalgic traditional children’s songs
- [Childcare] Recommended for sports day performances and dances! A collection of classic and popular songs
Classic songs about play/fun. Recommended popular tracks (21–30)
paper airplaneFujii Fumiya
It’s a song included on Fumiya Fujii’s second album, R&R, released in 1995.
The lyrics were written by Fumiya Fujii and the music composed by Char.
During live performances, there’s a segment where the audience flies paper airplanes together, making it one of the songs that really gets the crowd going.
Soap bubbleNagabuchi Tsuyoshi
It was released in 1991 as Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi’s 24th single.
The song was issued as the lead single from the album “JAPAN,” which also came out in 1991, and it was used as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “Shabondama,” starring Nagabuchi.
It reached No.
1 on the Oricon charts, became a million seller, and stands as the best-selling single of Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi’s career.
Classic songs about play. Recommended popular tracks (31–40)
Fukuwarai (a traditional Japanese “lucky laugh” face-making game)Takahashi Yuu
It was released in 2011 as Takahashi Yu’s third single.
The song was used in Tokyo Metro’s “TOKYO HEART” commercial and later, in 2017, for the 20th anniversary commercials of Tsukiji Gindaco.
While there are times when our smiles are distorted like a ‘fukuwarai’ face, the song straightforwardly expresses the idea that a day will come when we can truly smile from the heart.
Seesaw Game: A Song of Brave LoveMr.Children
Released on August 10, 1995, this is Mr.Children’s ninth single.
Comparing love to a seesaw game, it’s a classic Mr.Children track sung with both humor and poignancy.
The big final chorus builds to a climax that elevates the song wonderfully.
sparklersadamasashi
It’s a song released by Masashi Sada in 1976 as his solo debut.
In Sada’s hometown of Nagasaki, a large number of fireworks are set off on the night of the Spirit Boat Procession (Shōrō-nagashi), and after the procession people customarily enjoy more subdued fireworks like sparklers.
This masterpiece evokes those scenes and the late-summer landscape.
Janken Traintsuruno takeshi
This song is included on Takeshi Tsuruno’s first mini-album, “Churuno Uta,” which was released in 2011.
It was used as the ending theme for Fuji TV’s CG anime “Chuggington,” and the “Rock-Paper-Scissors Train Dance” that plays during the ending became very popular among children.
amusement parkyuzu
This song is included on Yuzu’s second mini album, “Yuzuman,” released in 1998.
Written and composed by Koji Iwasawa, it was performed during their 10th-anniversary live tour, and the track opens with audio that sounds like it was recorded at an amusement park.