[Preschool] Recommended choral pieces for 3-year-olds

We were born with a bang!Yuichiro Hanada, Maya Nagata

We were born with a bang! “With Mother in August Monthly Song” / cover: Kono Yubi Toomare☆ Starring: Makkun & Micchi Chorus: Arare

An intro that starts with the sound of Japanese taiko drums makes a striking impression! Let me introduce “Bon! Tō umareta bokutachi wa.” Many people probably feel like listening to this song in the summer.

Popular on the show as the song for August 2025, it’s characterized by its rhythmic sounds and call-and-response shouts.

The lyrics are easy for kids to remember, making it a standout track.

Move your body to the calls and the music, and it’s guaranteed to get everyone excited! It should be easy to include at summer festivals and events, too.

It’s a song that’s fun to listen to and fun to dance to.

Mysterious PocketLyrics by Michio Mado / Music by Shigeru Watanabe

♪A Mysterious Pocket [with gestures]

“Fushigi na Pocket” is a song about a dreamlike pocket that makes biscuits multiply every time you pat it.

Many people may have heard it in childhood and tried patting their own pockets over and over.

You can enjoy it together with the choreography—patting your pocket with a light pop-pop, or gently swaying as you imagine having such a pocket.

It’s a beloved children’s song that has been cherished for many years, with adorable anecdotes like kids actually putting biscuits in their pockets, patting them, and ending up crumbling them to bits.

Donsukapanpan Cheer SquadLyrics: Hiroshi Yamada / Music: Tatsuya Nishiwaki

[Donsuka Panpan Cheer Squad] With Mother—Complete Choreography Version! Yoko Ueno

Don-Ska Pan-Pan Cheer Squad leaves a strong impression with its high-energy vibe.

It’s a song created for the NHK program “Okaasan to Issho,” first performed by Daisuke Yokoyama and Takumi Mitani.

The lyrics are packed with onomatopoeia and send encouragement to people who are doing their best.

Thanks to its message and its strangely catchy words, it spread by word of mouth and climbed high on the music charts.

Its unique choreography—like standing on one leg or folding your arms midway through—is another part of its charm.

Children all over the world

♪ If all the children of the world (with gestures) If all the children of the world laughed at the same time ~ ♪ [Hand-play/Children’s song]

Why not dance energetically to the song “Sekai-jū no Kodomo-tachi ga,” whose lyrics wishing happiness for children around the world are truly moving? You can have fun with simple choreography—march in place while swinging both arms, or hold hands with your friends.

Choreography using sign language is also popular, so this is a great chance to try a sign-language dance.

If you slow the tempo a little, it also works well for a chorus.

Please feel free to use it for a variety of recreational activities.

Picnic

♪ Picnic <with gestures> Let's go over the hill while whistling a tune ~ ♪ [Children's song]

With its lively, energetic rhythm, “Picnic” is a sprightly song that makes you want to start walking.

Ducks, goats, dogs, and pigs appear in the lyrics.

Try singing while imitating their animal sounds! If you ask the children what sounds each animal makes before singing, they’ll be able to enjoy the song more while understanding its meaning.

Since it’s a song about heading to the fun place that is a picnic, sing it brightly and cheerfully with the children.

After a fightLyrics by: Toyohisa Araki / Music by: Takashi Miki

[Children’s Song] After a Fight

I’d like to introduce “Kenka no Ato” as a heartwarming song with a strong message.

It gained attention after being chosen as a theme song for the children’s program Hirake! Ponkikki.

Many people may also know it from Tsuyoshi Tsuruno’s later cover version.

The song depicts making up after a quarrel.

It’s not only fun to sing, but also perfect for reaffirming the importance of reconciling and cherishing friends.

aye-ayeLyrics by Hiromi Aida / Music by Seiichiro Uno

Ai Ai (with hand motions)

Ai Ai is a song about a little monkey, a character that often appears in children’s favorite picture books.

Lyricist Hiromi Aida wrote the lyrics after being asked to create a cute animal song and coming across the aye-aye, which lives on Madagascar, in an illustrated encyclopedia.

It’s perfect not only as a choral piece but also for school plays where a monkey character appears! To help children enjoy singing it even more with choreography, it might be nice to show them photos or illustrations and say, “This is the kind of monkey the song is about.”