[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 (41–50)
rainfallsakushi: kitahara hakushū / sakkyoku: nakayama shinpei
Even if the title “Amefuri” doesn’t ring a bell, once you hear the tune you can probably sing along right away, don’t you think? It’s the kind of song that could make even a rainy day—when you’re really feeling blue—seem fun.
The part that imitates the sound of rain is especially memorable, isn’t it? But in fact, it seems that Hakushū Kitahara, who wrote the lyrics, embedded a sad story in this song.
If you’re curious, listen closely to the lyrics all the way through verse five.
aye-ayeSakushi: Aida Hiromi / Sakkyoku: Uno Seiichirou
A children’s song called “Ai Ai” features an animal named the aye-aye, a cousin of monkeys.
Since aye-ayes live on the hot southern island of Madagascar, it’s the perfect song for the hot summer season! The lyrics introduce the aye-aye’s characteristics, so it might be fun to look it up in a picture book or encyclopedia while singing.
Even very young children who aren’t used to talking much yet can sing it easily, so try singing it while imitating monkey movements!
Summer MemoriesSakushi: Ema Akiko / Sakkyoku: Nakata Yoshinao
As the lyrics say, when summer comes, the Japanese summer song that springs to mind is surely “Natsu no Omoide” (Summer Memories).
Many people probably sang it in chorus back in junior high school.
It appears in music textbooks, too, and it’s no exaggeration to call it a summer song deeply etched in the hearts of the Japanese.
“Natsu no Omoide” was released in 1949, with lyrics by Akiko Ema, famed for works like “Hana no Machi,” and music by Yoshinao Nakata, known for “Chiisai Aki Mitsuketa” and “Medaka no Gakkō.” It’s truly a piece born from the exceptional talents of these two creators.
Ms. Himawari
Sunflowers, with their large yellow blossoms facing the sun, are uplifting just to look at, aren’t they? How about singing this sunflower-themed song, “Himawari-san,” together with the children? Its slow, gentle melody is easy to get familiar with, and the many repeated lyrics make it simple even for younger kids to remember—one of its charms.
When everyone sings, try forming a sunflower shape with both hands or stretching tall and singing up toward the sky; it’s a great way to nurture children’s expressive skills, so it’s highly recommended.
If you sing with big smiles and lots of energy, their hearts and bodies may grow quickly—just like summer sunflowers!
Morning on the Ranch
It is said that the lyrics of “Morning on the Ranch” were written with Iwase Farm in Kagamiishi, Fukushima Prefecture as their model.
The lyrics depict the ranch at daybreak, shrouded in mist, interweaving scenes of sound and light along with the people working on the ranch and the sheep.
Describing how morning arrives on the wide ranch and a new day begins, the song’s lyrics are also included in elementary school textbooks.
Asking children what kinds of animals might be on a ranch, or explaining the kinds of work people do there, may help them form a clearer image of the piece.
water playSakushi: Azuma Kume / Sakkyoku: Taki Rentaro
It was included in the Kindergarten Song Collection published in 1901.
Using colloquial lyrics to create nursery songs for young children was considered groundbreaking at the time.
With its simple and short lyrics, it’s a song that even little children can enjoy clapping and playing along to.
Zebra Swirl
The rhythmic and fun “Zebra Swirl” also features lyrics that are easy for children to remember.
Let’s sing along to the cute, rhythmic words.
The repeated phrases may match the zebra’s stripes and the song’s background, capturing children’s attention.
Try singing to the rhythm while feeling the melody’s lively yet somehow nostalgic vibe.
You might broaden the fun by first asking, “What around us looks like stripes?” and then singing the song.