[Childcare] Fun Songs for 2-Year-Olds to Sing! Recommended Song Collection

The Bento Box SongLyrics by: Yoshiko Kayama / Music by: Akihiro Komori

[With Choreography] Dance Medley: Fun Dance Performance! “There Are No Such Things as Ghosts,” “Beyond the Rainbow,” and More

The nostalgic hand-play song “Obentōbako no Uta” is hugely popular with kids in the Reiwa era too! Even if children eat school lunches at daycare or kindergarten, the word “obento” creates a sense of excitement.

It’s fun to sing as is, but you can make it even more enjoyable with ideas like suggesting, “Let’s make a big elephant’s lunchbox next!” and using big gestures, or saying, “Let’s make an ant’s lunchbox,” and making your voice and gestures small.

Once the lunchbox is ready, it’s nice to have everyone say “Itadakimasu” together and pretend to eat!

The Song of the Twelve Zodiac AnimalsLyrics and Music by Rie Miyahira

[Children's Song] The Song of the Twelve Zodiac Animals | A Popular Kids' Song Sung by a Nursery Teacher

A fun song where the twelve zodiac animals appear in a rhythmic sequence.

It’s perfect for New Year’s and might be a great way for children to become familiar with the twelve zodiac animals.

Created by Rie Miyahira, this piece won the Excellence Award at the 9th Lapomme Grand Prize and is widely loved in early childhood education settings.

Imitating animal sounds or moving your body as if you were each animal while singing makes it even more exciting and enjoyable.

It’s a recommended song to sing with children not only for New Year’s events but also at gatherings with an animal theme.

Mountain MusiciansLyrics: Shisen Mizuta / Composition: German folk song

[Piano Singing and Playing] The Mountain Musician 🐿🎻🎹🎶 [With Lyrics]

The song “Mountain Musicians” is delightful for its depictions of various animals playing instruments.

Even if you’ve never seen those instruments in real life, you can really sense how much the animals enjoy performing.

When singing with children, try miming playing the violin or blowing the flute.

The lyrics are a bit long for two-year-olds, so it’s best to take your time and help them learn the words little by little.

It’s also fun to fully get into character as each animal and make it a pretend play activity!

Cute Hide and SeekLyrics by Hachirō Satō / Music by Yoshinao Nakata

♪ Cute Hide-and-Seek - The chicks go hop-hop in the garden, playing hide-and-seek ~ ♪ (with gestures)

It’s an irresistibly cute song that captures children’s hearts.

The way the animals play hide-and-seek is depicted as if you can see it right before your eyes.

The chicks, sparrows, and puppies trying their best to hide will bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Coupled with a lively rhythm and melody, it seems perfect for singing and having fun with children.

The content is easy for two-year-olds to understand, so you can expand play by learning animal characteristics while singing or actually playing hide-and-seek.

It’s a wonderful song that nurtures imagination and observation skills while having fun.

Let's clap our handsLyrics by Junichi Kobayashi / Music by Traditional Czechoslovak Folk Song

Let's Clap Our Hands

“Let’s Clap Our Hands” is a song where you can enjoy various movements and expressions that match the lyrics.

Because it includes expressions of feelings like laughing and getting angry, it brings out a wide range of emotions in children.

If the teacher expresses themselves boldly and even a bit theatrically, the children will feel free to join in enthusiastically.

Watching their earnest efforts with such cute expressions is sure to be heartwarming.

Since it involves full-body movement, please move chairs and desks to make enough space.

Mysterious PocketLyrics by Michio Mado / Music by Shigeru Watanabe

♪A Mysterious Pocket [with gestures]

“Fushigi na Pocket” is a fun song where biscuits increase every time you pat the pocket.

It’s perfect for imaginative three-year-olds.

It’s also recommended to sing while actually patting a pocket.

You can even stage it as an apron theater where the biscuits really seem to multiply.

Conversations with the children, like “What would you do if lots of biscuits came out?” will surely liven up.

They’ll also naturally learn how to count—“one, two,” and so on.

It’s a song full of dreams.

Piglet-raccoon dog-fox-catLyrics by Naosumi Yamamoto / Music by Naosumi Yamamoto

Kobuta Nuki Tsuneko | Kiyoe Yoshioka

The wordplay-filled song “Kobuta, Tanuki, Kitsune, Neko” progresses as you imitate each animal.

It’s a very simple song, but because the actions that mimic the animals are so amusing, kids will sing along with enthusiasm.

Once they get used to the moves, gradually speed it up.

You’ll find yourself chuckling at the sight of children trying their best to copy the actions.

You can also make animal ears and turn it into a dress-up play activity.

It’s a song that highlights children’s cuteness, so be sure to give it a try!