Nursery rhymes to sing in spring: a collection of classic songs you'll want to sing with your children

The Hill Where Mandarin Orange Blossoms BloomSakushi: Katō Shōgo / Sakkyoku: Kainuma Minoru

Nono-chan (Murakata Nonoka) 'The Hill Where the Mandarin Orange Blossoms Bloom' MV

The beautiful children’s song, born shortly after the war, vividly portrays fresh depictions of nature and feelings for a mother.

Through the view from a seaside hill, this work gently sings of a child’s pure heart and warm affection for their mother.

The depiction of a distant ship carries a sense of unattainable loneliness, evoking a deeply moving emotion.

Wrapped in warm light, it will continue to be a soothing piece that stays close to the hearts of many.

Flower ShadowSakushi: Omura Kazuē / Sakkyoku: Toyota Giichi

Flower Shadow

Hanakage is marked by a poignantly wistful melody.

The lyrics portray the sadness of a girl whose beloved older sister has left home to get married.

The days when they always spent the Mid-Autumn nights together under the moon are now gone, and she is all alone.

The image of her sister going far away, the tears shed at their parting, and the futile calls to the sister who has already left…

These scenes, set against drifting cherry blossoms, make the heart tighten with a bittersweet ache—despite it being a bright spring.

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Which child is a good child?NEW!warabeuta

May children’s song “Which child is the good child”

When children get together to play, do you ever wonder how to decide who’s “it” or who goes next? That’s exactly when this traditional children’s rhyme comes in handy.

You point to each child in turn in time with the rhythm, and the one chosen at the end becomes the next role—or gets a big hug—so everyone can enjoy both the thrill and the comfort it brings! It was also included on the album “NHK Nihongo de Asobo: Warabe-uta,” released in February 2007, and became widely known after being featured in segments of an educational TV program.

In dazzlingly green May, try forming a circle at a park on your walk or indoors, and enjoy the pleasant rhythm together with friends or as a parent and child.

A bamboo shoot has sprouted.NEW!warabeuta asobi

May’s nursery rhyme “Takenoko Medashita”

A children’s hand-play song that vividly expresses the growth of bamboo shoots, which are in season from spring to early summer.

Through hand motions, kids enjoy the story of a sprout emerging from the soil, a flower blooming with a pop, and finally being snipped with scissors.

Because the rock-paper-scissors hand shapes—fist, scissors, and open hand—are naturally built into the actions, it’s also perfect for helping children learn the rules of the game.

Though it’s a traditional folk song passed down through generations, its introduction on children’s programs like those on NHK has helped it become a familiar group activity in preschools and kindergartens.

It typically ends with everyone chanting “Essa, essa!” together and deciding the winner with rock-paper-scissors.

On a fresh May day under the blue sky, get moving energetically with your family and friends!

skylark skylarkNEW!warabeuta asobi

Spring nursery rhyme [Hibari Hibari] Parent-child play [Childcare]

In the pleasantly breezy month of May, here’s a nursery rhyme game with a springtime bird theme that we hope parents and children will enjoy at a relaxed pace.

It’s characterized by short, repeated phrases that call to the birds and depict traveling over mountains and through valleys.

You can rock your child on your lap, use your fingertips to represent hills and valleys—there’s no single right way to play! Though it’s a traditional song passed down in local communities since long ago, new audio recordings with fresh ways of singing were released as recently as March 2021, and it continues to be loved today in various forms, especially in early childhood settings.

Precisely because there’s no fixed answer, you can tailor it to your child’s age and the atmosphere of the moment—that’s the charm of this piece.

On a warm, sunny day, why not find your own original way to play together with your child?