[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-Play Songs (21–30)
King Kamehameha of the Southern Islandssakushi: itō akira / sakkyoku: morita kōichi
The children’s song “Hamehameha the Great King of the Southern Island” is about King Hamehameha, who lives on a southern island that’s warm like summer all year round.
On this island, not only the king and his wife, the queen, and their children, but in fact every single islander is named “Hamehameha”! The song is about the king, queen, children, and islanders who all share the same name.
Its unique and friendly lyrics make you feel happy just by singing along.
There are hand motions to go with the lyrics, so be sure to enjoy them together with the song!
seaInoue Takeshi
The children’s song “Umi” conjures up images of a gentle, beautifully blue sea.
Sung in English as “THE SEA” by American singer-songwriter Greg Irwin, the song celebrates the boundless expanse of the ocean.
The sun and moon rise and set along the horizon, the waves are calm yet at times turn fierce, and beyond the sea lies a world still unseen.
Along with the many scenes of the vast ocean, this song inspires dreams and hope for the world that stretches beyond the sea.
[Childcare] Summer songs. Full of fun! Summer nursery rhymes & hand-play songs (31–40)
The Banana That Flew Awaysakushi: kataoka akira/sakkyoku: sakurai jun
Bananas are mainly grown on southern islands that evoke the hot summer season.
The playful children’s song “Tondetta Banana” (“The Banana That Flew Away”) tells a funny story of a banana flying off here and there.
It starts with two children fighting over a single banana, which suddenly flies away, then makes its way to a little bird and a crocodile.
In the end, it goes to a ship’s captain…
What happens after it reaches the captain? Be sure to sing the song and find out! The catchy phrase that plays whenever the scene changes is so memorable that many children can’t help but imitate it.
Song of the cicadasakushi: satou yoshimi / sakkyoku: nakata yoshinao
When the sound of cicadas reaches your ears, you can’t help but feel that summer has arrived.
If their chorus is too loud it can seem noisy, but the chirping of cicadas is closely linked with summer in Japan.
The children’s song “Cicada Song,” which is popular among kids, is highly recommended—if you sing it together while catching cicadas on a hot summer day, it makes the game even more fun.
Coming up with your own original dance moves could be enjoyable too!
Song of Suihei-sanSuper Simple Songs
Let’s sing an ocean song called “Suihei-san no Uta,” with its relaxed, heartwarming melody and fun lyrics.
The playful words are packed with lots of sea creatures, making them tricky to memorize.
It’s a fun song featuring octopuses, jellyfish, seahorses, and more, and it’s a singing game where you see how many animal names you can remember as you sing.
Since it originally comes from an English song, it’s also helpful for children learning English.
Because so many different sea creatures appear, you might recognize some you already know.
You can learn, “Oh, so these kinds of creatures live in the sea,” test your memory, and enjoy singing it in lots of different ways.
Takoyaki
When you think of summer, you think of festivals; when you think of festivals, you think of food stalls; and then, of course, piping-hot takoyaki…
Let me introduce the fun hand-play song “Takoyaki” that naturally brings up those associations.
Its streamlined, simple melody and lyrics, along with easy-to-understand moves you can get at a glance, make it very easy to learn—even little kids can grasp it right away, which is great.
The clever touch of letting you learn the vowels a, i, u, e, o at the end of the lyrics is also delightful.
By all means, tie on a headband and enjoy it as if you were actually making takoyaki at a festival stall!
Cute cooksakushi sakkyoku: fushō
On days so hot that you don’t feel like going outside, how about trying a drawing song in a cool room? The classic drawing song “Kawaii Kokkusan” (“Cute Little Chef”) lets you end up with a picture of a cute chef by drawing along with the lyrics.
Lots of foods appear as comparisons in the lyrics, so it’s fun to snack while you draw, too! By the way, the date mentioned in the lyrics is said to be Chef’s Day.
Even after the rainy season when outdoor play is hard, there are days when the heat or typhoons make it tough to play outside.
On days like that, play along with this song!