[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!
- Recommended songs for eurhythmics. Let's enjoy music using our bodies!
- Kids go wild! Popular hand games and fun sing-alongs
- [Play Right Away!] Exciting Recreation Games Recommended for Elementary School Students
- 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
- [Partner Song] Singing two different songs simultaneously! Nursery rhymes & the latest hits
- [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] Children's recreational music. Rec songs you can sing and play (21–30)
Gacha-Gacha Band
Using Bing Crosby’s hit song “McNamara’s Band” as the original, Masao Tomioka wrote lyrics and arranged it as a camp song to be sung at Nojiri Gakuso, a long-term camp run by the Tokyo YMCA.
It was broadcast on “Minna no Uta” in 1965.
The Bear of the Forest
This is a song with lyrics adapted by Yoshihiro Baba from an American folk tune.
It’s a song that everyone knows well.
It was broadcast on “Minna no Uta” in 1972 and became widely known in Japan.
The English and Japanese versions differ in the latter half of the lyrics, and the storyline in which the bear and the young lady become friendly appears only in the Japanese version as an original addition.
Playing bus (pretend bus play)Sakushi: Kayama Yoshiko / Sakkyoku: Yuyama Akira
This lively children’s song by Yoshiko Kayama and Akira Yuyama captures the excitement of setting off on a trip in a big bus.
Set to a rhythmic melody, it gently portrays children enjoying pretend play with vehicles.
It’s a song you can sing while moving your hands and body, so it naturally brings smiles to children’s faces.
Long cherished in childcare and educational settings, it’s also used as a play song.
With spring outing season approaching, why not sing it together as a family before a walk or a day out? If everyone enjoys it while keeping the beat, it will surely create wonderful memories in children’s hearts.
Funiculi Funicula
It’s a song composed to attract passengers to the Italian mountain railway called the “Funicolare.” Because there were very few riders when it first opened, Mr.
Luigi Denza was commissioned to compose a theme song, and this piece was created.
In Japan, isn’t it better known with different lyrics as the children’s song “Oni no Pantsu” (The Ogre’s Underpants) set to the same melody?
In conclusion
How did you like the children’s play songs and recreation songs? When you look at them like this, there are surprisingly many songs for musical play, aren’t there? Find a fun song that makes you think, “I want to play with children,” and give it a try.
Musical play nurtures children’s sensibilities.