[Music Play] Children’s Recreational Music: Rec Songs You Can Sing and Play
We’re introducing playful songs and recreation songs that you can enjoy with children!
We’ve gathered a wide variety—from classic folk dance and campfire songs to rounds, hand-play songs, and playful tunes perfect for bus activities.
They’re all songs that everyone will say, “I’ve heard this before!” so you can use them for recreation with confidence.
The folk dance songs also come with choreography tutorial videos, so please use them as a reference.
Let’s sing together and have a wonderful time!
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- Kids will love it! A collection of dance song ideas with easy-to-follow rhythms
- Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
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- [For Kids] Songs Perfect for Dancing at Christmas — A Full Roundup
- [Elementary School] Quick and Easy! Indoor Recreational Activities Perfect for Lower Grades
- Childcare: Today's recommended fun songs
- Funny songs recommended for kids: Japanese music that will make you laugh without even trying when you listen.
- [Rhythm Play] A roundup of popular cup songs
- Classic songs for musical chairs. A carefully curated selection of easy-to-walk-to, crowd-pleasing tracks.
- Get pumped with kids’ favorite songs! A memorable collection of classics that will make you want to sing along
[Music Play] Recreational Music for Children: Rec Songs You Can Sing and Play (1–10)
Ten thousand feet in the Alps
Alps Ichiman-jaku is a hand-clapping game you can play anytime, anywhere, as long as you have one person next to you.
It’s based on the American folk song Yankee Doodle, but the lyrics are completely different from the version known in Japan.
It’s a classic hand game played by two people using both hands while singing.
There are both simple and difficult choreographies, and in either case, once you make a mistake it’s hard to recover—surprisingly challenging! Most people know only one set of lyrics, but in fact the song goes all the way up to verse 29.
It might be fun to memorize and sing all 29 verses to go along with the hand game!
Rock-Paper-Scissors Train
Janken Train is a group recreation game where everyone plays rock-paper-scissors and gradually links up like a train.
At first, each person pretends to be a train on their own and moves around.
When the music briefly stops, you find someone nearby and play rock-paper-scissors; the loser goes behind the winner and links on.
You repeat this over and over in a knockout-style game.
In the end, you’ll have a very long train! It’s great for outdoor play and can be enjoyed indoors as well, so it’s perfect for rainy-day recreation.
Korobushka
Korobeiniki, a Russian folk song famous as a folk dance tune, is also well known in Japan for being used as the background music for Tetris.
Dancers form two concentric circles and face each other as they dance.
It’s a very active folk dance: you hold hands and move forward and back, step in rhythm, turn to the side while moving, and switch front-and-back positions.
As the music gradually speeds up, it becomes even more thrilling.
Since the choreography can be a bit tricky and there’s a lot of moving around, it’s best to practice before you dance.
It’s great fun when everyone moves in perfect sync, so give it a try and make some wonderful memories!
Mayim Mayim
“Mayim Mayim” is a staple of folk dance that many people have enjoyed dancing.
Composed by Emanuel Amiran, it is known as an Israeli folk song.
Dancers join hands to form a single circle, then dance by tightening and widening the circle and moving sideways.
“Mayim” means “water” in Hebrew, and the dance expresses the joy of discovering a water source in a dry region.
Therefore, the basic rule when dancing to this song is to have fun! Try expressing through the dance the joy of playing harmoniously with everyone and the joy of spending a happy time together.
Burn, burn.
Moero yo Moero is perfect for a roaring campfire with big flames.
It’s based on the French folk songs Clair de la lune and Au clair de la lune (Star Light, Gently and The End of the Day).
Set to a gentle melody, it expresses the wish for the campfire to blaze brightly and light up the dark night.
Opportunities to see large flames like a campfire up close are rare, so take it in with your eyes and engrave it as a page in your memories.
And be sure to include the memory of everyone singing this song together right alongside it!