A collection of classic nursery rhymes and hand-play songs for September! Enjoy autumn with your child through songs.
With the refreshing autumn breeze comes a cool season filled with children’s smiles.
During such delightful autumn days, why not incorporate songs and fingerplay that are perfect for the season into life with the children? In fact, there are many children’s songs for September that gently depict autumn scenes, such as ginkgo leaves, chestnuts, and moon-viewing.
Here, we will introduce a wide range of songs that will be useful in September childcare—from pieces that express autumn landscapes like moon-viewing and autumn foliage to fingerplay songs.
Be sure to find songs that let you enjoy the season together with the children while experiencing the ambiance of autumn.
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- A collection of classic nursery rhymes and hand-play songs for September! Enjoy autumn with your child through songs.
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A Collection of Classic Children’s Songs and Hand-Play Tunes for September! Enjoy Autumn with Your Kids Through Songs (71–80)
The Roasted Chestnut Song
Roasted chestnuts with their fluffy, sweet flesh are one of the quintessential flavors of autumn! This hand-play song called “The Roasted Chestnut Song” tells the story of roasting chestnuts and eating them.
The hand motions rhythmically mimic roasting the chestnuts, peeling the shells, and include clapping as well.
Singing and dancing to it will definitely make you crave roasted chestnuts! While you’re waiting for the chestnuts to finish roasting at daycare or at home, sing this song and make the wait more fun.
Village Autumn
Selected for the “100 Best Japanese Songs” and included in elementary school music textbooks for many years, the children’s song Sato no Aki is a piece that symbolizes autumn.
It was originally composed to encourage soldiers returning from the front and demobilized troops, but after changes to the lyrics, it has come to be loved as a song depicting the gentle scenery of autumn in Japan.
In nursery schools and kindergartens, more upbeat songs are usually chosen.
Once in a while, though, it might be nice to take the opportunity to sing a calm, long-cherished Japanese song like Sato no Aki with simple hand motions.
Little Acorn Roller
This is the children’s song “Donguri Koro-chan,” which has also been made into a picture book.
It’s a very short song, so it’s easy to play along with.
How to play: sit a small child on your lap, and as you sing, gently touch their head or bottom, or lift them up high.
Even babies who don’t understand the song yet should enjoy it.
Try it together with the picture book, too.
I found a little sign of autumn.Sakushi: Satou Hachirou／Sakkyoku: Nakata Yoshinao
The children’s song “Chiisai Aki Mitsuketa” is known for its melody that evokes a slightly wistful autumn mood.
Featured in elementary, junior high, and high school music textbooks and frequently broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta,” it is one of Japan’s representative songs of autumn.
As summer turns into autumn, the colors and shapes of the natural scenery change rapidly.
This song depicts the small discoveries of autumn that appear as the season gradually shifts.
In addition to the autumn scenes portrayed in the lyrics, why not use the song as a cue to find signs of the changing season toward autumn in your own surroundings?
red dragonflySakushi: Miki Rofū / Sakkyoku: Yamada Kōsaku
Lyrics by Rofu Miki, music by Kósçaku Yamada.
In NHK’s “Songs of Japan You Choose: Hometown Songs” survey, it took first place, and it can be called one of Japan’s representative children’s songs.
You can almost see the setting sun sinking and the dragonflies flying against it.
Try expressing that scene with your hands.
The tempo is relaxed, so even small children should find it easy to follow.
Rabbit DanceSakushi: Noguchi Ujō / Sakkyoku: Nakayama Shinpei
One of the events in September is the Harvest Moon festival, right? Many children probably find themselves thinking about the rabbit on the moon.
With that in mind, I’d like to introduce “Usagi no Dance” (The Rabbit’s Dance).
The lyrics are by Ujo Noguchi and the music is by Shinpei Nakayama, and it’s a hand-play song.
Its charm lies in lyrics that express a rabbit’s movements and a lively rhythm.
The choreography, especially the gestures for the rabbit’s feet and ears, looks very cute—perfect for showing off to friends! Try livening up your Harvest Moon celebration with this song.
Rabbit mochi pounding
Many people enjoy moon-viewing in September, right? In that spirit, I’d like to recommend this hand-clapping song, “Usagi no Mochitsuki” (Rabbits Pounding Mochi).
In this game, two people pair up, face each other, and use both hands to act out mochi pounding.
One person claps both hands up and down to the rhythm of the song as if pounding mochi.
The other threads their hands through when the partner’s hands open to knead the mochi, or inserts both hands to make a sharp clap.
It requires a good sense of rhythm, so it can be a bit tricky, but once you start, it’s a lot of fun.
Give it a try with kids or with your family!
