[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 (31–40)
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!
The frog’s fluteSakushi: Saitō Nobuo / Sakkyoku: Kainuma Minoru
When people hear “frogs,” many might think of rain, but on summer nights you can always hear their voices coming from somewhere, too.
The children’s song “Kaeru no Fue” (The Frog’s Flute) perfectly matches that summer night scene.
It portrays the distant croaking you hear at bedtime as frogs playing flutes, and sings about it.
The sound of those frog “flutes” is like a lullaby, bringing gentle moments to hot summer nights.
On a summer night when you can’t quite fall asleep, try listening closely to the frogs’ distant voices along with this song.
Goldfish’s NapSakushi: Kashima Naruaki / Sakkyoku: Hirota Ryūtarō
Goldfish scooping is a must at fun summer festivals! There are probably many children who scoop goldfish at the festival and then raise them at home.
A children’s song with that very theme is “Kingyo no Hirune” (Goldfish Napping).
Its gentle melody brings a calm that could lull not only the goldfish but also the listener into a drowsy afternoon nap.
The lyrics describe a goldfish dozing off, and when someone says, “If you wake up, I’ll give you a tasty meal,” the goldfish opens its eyes.
If you want to wake up your pet goldfish at home, why not try imitating this song?
Rainy MoonSakushi: Noguchi Ujō / Sakkyoku: Nakayama Shinpei
With its beautifully nostalgic melody, just reading the lyrics conjures vivid scenes—“Amefuri Otsukisan” truly sings the heart of Japan.
It first appeared in the Taishō era in the children’s magazine Kodomo no Kuni, under the original title “Amefuri Otsuki.” Later, when it was recorded, it was combined with “Kumo no Kage,” a piece introduced in the same magazine as a sequel, and thus reborn as “Amefuri Otsukisan.” While the melody is easy to remember, the words used in the lyrics can be difficult for young children to understand, so it might be nice for mothers or fathers to sing it together with their children on a rainy summer night.
Swirling Sunflowersakushi sakkyoku: boku to kimi
A perfect hand-play song for summer by “Boku to Kimi,” who know the world of childcare and child-rearing support inside and out.
Like sunflowers that bloom energetically toward the sun, the simple motion of rotating your arms round and round brings smiles to children’s faces.
This song was introduced in a video prior to 2017 and has not been released on CD, but it has long been loved as a summer staple in childcare settings.
You can enjoy it a cappella without instruments, so start by rotating your arms to match the lyrics.
Once you get used to it, try spinning your whole body—feel free to adapt it based on the children’s reactions and have fun!
[Childcare] Summer Songs: Full of Fun! Summer Nursery Rhymes & Hand-Play Songs (41–50)
Whale BusSakushi: Ide Takao / Sakkyoku: Shibuya Tsuyoshi
This piece is a song brimming with dreams about a giant sea creature that transforms into a bus, carrying squid and tuna on a journey to Antarctica.
The lyrics were written by Takao Ide, and the music was composed by Takeshi Shibuya, who is also a jazz pianist.
Released in June 2006 as a song on NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho,” it has since been performed by a variety of singers.
It’s perfect for parents and children to enjoy together—swaying along to playful sound effects like engine noises and imagining where the story is headed.
Its cool, refreshing world makes it an ideal choice for indoor play during the hot summer months.
loquatsakushi: mado michio / sakkyoku: isobe shigeru
Written by the poet Michio Mado, this song has lyrics and a melody so gentle that it leaves you with a warm, cozy feeling.
The image of loquats on the tree appearing not as single fruits but grouped together—and describing that closeness as them snuggling because they’re kind—is just wonderful, isn’t it? I’d be so happy if children could grow up with that kind of loving, rich imagination.
It even makes me crave loquats.