[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!
- Nursery rhymes I want to sing in July: fun summer songs
- Children’s Songs You Can Sing in August: Summer-Friendly Kids’ Songs and Fingerplay Rhymes
- [Sea Nursery Rhymes] Fun children's songs themed around the sea
- A collection of summer-like songs: tracks that go perfectly with summer, like the sea and the sky.
- [Tanabata Children's Songs] Fun hand-play songs and a nostalgic collection of traditional nursery rhymes and folk songs
- [Children’s Songs for June] Fun finger-play songs and traditional nursery rhymes perfect for the rainy season
- Summer song medley. Timeless and popular tracks that color the summer.
- Nursery rhymes and fingerplay songs to enjoy in May! Songs perfect for the fresh green season
- Children’s songs, folk songs, and nursery rhymes about insects
- Recommended summer songs for kids: Popular J-POP/Japanese hits [2026]
- Get pumped with kids’ favorite songs! A memorable collection of classics that will make you want to sing along
- [Sunflower Songs] A selection of classic and popular tracks that give you energy in the hot summer
- Nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs about food
[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?
Glide, glide, glide through the sea.
This song is packed with the excitement of exploring the sea.
Swimming alongside sailors and meeting creatures like seahorses and turtles will spark children’s curiosity.
The song has been featured on Pokémon Kids TV and is popular with kids.
It’s perfect for parents and children to enjoy together with hand motions! If you show pictures of sea creatures while singing, it might help nurture language and knowledge through play.
swim goggles
This is a very charming fingerplay song where children peer through “glasses” made with both hands to look for sea creatures.
Asking “What’s there next?” sparks their imagination.
The song has been performed by various creators, with some videos on YouTube surpassing one million views—proof of its popularity.
Its widespread use as early childhood material also attests to how enjoyable it is.
If you freely change the creatures in the lyrics and tell them, “The ocean is full of mysteries!”, you may further draw out children’s curiosity and spirit of inquiry.
[Childcare] Summer Songs: Full of Fun! Summer Nursery Rhymes & Hand-Play Songs (41–50)
La-la-la! Tropicarnival!gaagaaS
This is a kids’ exercise song with a cheerful rhythm that evokes a tropical carnival.
By shouting together and copying the adorable moves—like sticking your bottom out with a playful pop—it’s sure to spread smiles all around.
Created by the children’s music duo gaagaaS, the song has been adopted by over 1,100 childcare facilities since August 2024 as part of measures to cope with extreme heat.
It’s perfect for indoor play on hot summer days or for parents and children to move together.
Through the dance, you might just add another happy summer memory.
Go! Go! Pooltakeru-kun & mei-chan & takemei papa
The lyrics, which capture the excitement of heading to the pool and the fun of splashing around, are perfect for making summer memories! This work was released around the summer of 2022 by “Takemei Story,” a family YouTuber based in Shizuoka Prefecture.
It’s wonderful not only because it’s fun, but also because it cleverly adds meaningful learning into play.
Before heading out to the pool, get everyone in the family singing to boost the mood, or pretend you’re at the pool by dancing at home—let’s enjoy a lively, energetic summer!