[Childcare] Summer songs: Full of fun! Summer nursery rhymes & finger-play songs
When the rainy season ends, summer finally arrives! Here, we’ll introduce a variety of children’s songs to help you enjoy the season.
We’ve gathered songs that kids love, as well as hand-play songs often sung in nurseries and kindergartens.
Listening to these songs will make you look forward to the long-awaited summer even more.
Hand-play songs are also fun for little ones, so be sure to incorporate them into your childcare activities.
While the days will be getting hotter, some children’s songs can make you feel cooler just by listening.
Enjoy a fun-filled summer together with the children!
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[Childcare] Summer Songs. Full of Fun! Summer Nursery Rhymes & Hand-Clapping Games (1–10)
Zunpa Ondo
It’s a lively, cheerful festival song that spreads a bright, bustling atmosphere.
Packed with elements kids can connect with right away—like twirling their bodies and moving their arms and legs briskly—it features a light, upbeat tempo.
Drums and flutes boost the rhythm, and the continual development makes you smile as you move along.
You’ll also enjoy a sing-along-friendly melody that naturally makes you want to hum while matching the dance moves.
The changing sections keep things interesting, so it never gets dull to listen to.
It’s a perfect highlight for summer events or Bon Odori at preschools, bringing the whole venue together as one.
This energetic track, great for dancing with children, is also ideal for creating lasting summer memories.
It’s Hamu Hamu ON-DO, Ham-chans!
“Hamham ON-DO da, Ham-chans!” by the Ham-chans is an energetic Bon Odori dance song born from the anime Hamtaro.
All the small, cute characters make an appearance, and a lively rhythm unfolds that makes you want to dance.
With its brisk tempo, it’s fun to join in with call-and-response and hand claps, which will boost children’s eagerness to participate.
The instruments are lively, and the atmosphere builds in step with the song’s progression.
The vocal expressions are rich as well, with a structure that lets each character’s personality shine through.
Even children who don’t know the anime can enjoy it, and using it at summer festivals or school events will create a time filled with smiles.
Ponchararin on a moonlit night
It’s a lively ondo song featuring a variety of animals.
The rhythm moves at a comfortable pace, packed with a fun energy that makes you want to move your body.
You can enjoy imagining the movements of raccoon dogs, rabbits, and fireflies.
The instrumentation is cleverly arranged, and the layered sounds create a distinctly summery atmosphere.
The dance choreography is easy to learn, so even children new to Bon Odori can quickly join the circle and have fun.
Through both song and dance, this piece evokes the bustle of a nighttime scene.
As an ondo that colors summer festival memories, it’s beloved by many children.
[Childcare] Summer Songs. Full of Fun! Summer Nursery Rhymes & Hand-Clapping Songs (11–20)
Let’s draw a picture in the blue sky.Sakushi: Kazumi Kazuki / Sakkyoku: Hajime Kamishiba
When you look at the fluffy clouds floating in the beautiful blue summer sky, don’t they start to look like all kinds of pictures? From those clouds drifting across the sky begins the exciting, heart-pounding adventure of the children’s song “Let’s Draw on the Blue Sky.” The lyrics are packed with the thrill of setting off to travel the world on a ship drawn by the clouds! The lively shouts that pop up in the song are sure to make kids want to imitate them.
Look up at the sky and the clouds, let your dreams grow, and sing out with all your energy!
It’s starting! (Summer ver.)
“Hajimaruyo” is a classic hand-play song at kindergartens and nurseries.
If you try singing it with summer-themed lyrics, you might boost the summer mood and have even more fun.
With one finger held up, the lyrics go from 1 to 5: 1 is a drum, 2 is a water gun, 3 is a shooting star, 4 is a fan, and 5—perfect for the finale—represents fireworks.
From festivals and water play to grand fireworks displays, these lyrics let you fully enjoy summer, and kids are sure to love it.
You can also add your own original verses to make it even more fun.
Oh, oops.Sakushi: Sakata Hiroo / Sakkyoku: Yuyama Akira
The song’s thumping, bouncy rhythm is intriguing, and even from the title you can imagine the sweltering, sweaty heat of midsummer.
There are many children’s songs about summer, but this one stands out for its playful, rhyme-heavy word choices that feel almost like rap, and its rhythmic feel makes it fun to sing.
It’s a track you’ll want to belt out together, with feeling, on an unbearably hot midsummer day.
Watermelon-producing region
Speaking of summer, it’s got to be watermelon! That’s a classic line from way back, right? The repeating, distinctive lyrics are the secret to why kids love it.
When I see the children’s beaming smiles as they do the hand motions to this song, I can’t help but feel that a fun summer has arrived! You can enjoy it not only with hand play, but also by dancing with your whole body—together with lots of friends!
