Lovely childcare

[Childcare] Songs we want 6-year-old kindergarten seniors to sing! Perfect songs for recitals and graduation ceremonies.

9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherRisa Shibata
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.
Nursery Teacher Mom WriterMoe Tsukada
After working for five years at an after-school childcare club and three years at a nursery school, I began working as a freelance writer. I’m a mother of two children. Inspired by playing the flute in the school wind ensemble in elementary school, I joined a jazz club at university. I’ve also incorporated ukulele and piano performance into childcare. Playing, laughing, feeling sad, feeling frustrated—through all kinds of experiences, I want children to grow.

The time when children graduate from nursery school or kindergarten.

It’s a major milestone for both the children and the teachers.

The children have grown so much, and their ability to express themselves through song has surely become richer.

Here, we’ve gathered songs we’d love for six-year-olds to sing.

They’re perfect for performances like recitals and graduation ceremonies, so if you’re a teacher unsure about song selection, please use this as a reference.

Let’s fill the venue with the children’s wonderful singing voices and make it a presentation where teachers and parents can join together in wishing for the children’s bright and joyful future.

[Childcare] Songs we want 6-year-old kindergarten seniors to sing! Perfect songs for recitals and graduation ceremonies (1–10)

Beyond the rainbow

Shoko Haida “Beyond the Rainbow” - from “With Mother” (Full) [Official]

Beyond the rainbow

Composed by Osamu Sakata, a former “Uta no Onii-san,” this popular song has been passed down through NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho.” The sparkling opening lyrics and light, buoyant melody are truly memorable.

Children will likely enjoy singing it too, since it features many familiar words they love, like “rain,” “rainbow,” and “sun.” Because it’s a song that has been cherished for many years, parents’ generation may also recognize it.

Its easy-to-listen quality is another plus.

It’s a piece that evokes a future full of hope and makes you want to hum along without even thinking.

Raise the rankinglower

I’ve grown up.

Graduation song: “I’ve Grown Up”

I’ve grown up.

An original song by singer-songwriter Miyako Irikura, created for her own daughter, graduating children, and their parents.

The vivid details—like uniforms that were still too big when they first enrolled and brand-new supplies—bring back the excitement and butterflies from those early days.

As time passes and we see how the children have grown, we’re filled with an indescribable sense of deep emotion.

Part of the lyrics can include the actual teachers’ names, so the children can sing it with gratitude toward their teachers.

Raise the rankinglower

Magic Door

Mahou no Tobira Revised (for ume3)

Magic Door

“The Magic Door” is a song overflowing with hope for the future.

Five-year-olds are in their final year of kindergarten and are about to become first graders.

The lyrics are perfect for this time, when their sense of responsibility and interactions with friends grow stronger.

The bouncy rhythm and melody might be a bit complex to express.

Let’s sing it repeatedly and enjoy the world of the song with the children.

In the original version, some sections are divided into parts and sung separately.

How about letting the children take on that challenge?

Raise the rankinglower

[Childcare] Songs we want 6-year-old seniors to sing! Perfect songs for recitals and graduation ceremonies (11–20)

Flower of Thanks

The Flower of Thanks – When you say “thank you,” everyone is smiling ~♪ (with gestures)

Flower of Thanks

A warm song that expresses gratitude, performed on NHK’s popular program “Okaasan to Issho.” The word “thank you” spreads and makes smiles bloom—its gentle world view resonates with children.

With a bright, calm melody, it’s easy and familiar enough that even little ones will start humming along naturally.

Perfect for graduation ceremonies and recitals, it’s sure to warm the hearts of teachers and parents watching the children grow.

While conveying the importance of nurturing a thankful heart, it’s a wonderful song everyone can enjoy singing together.

Raise the rankinglower

Believe

♪BELIEVE <Graduation Song>

Believe

A classic graduation song sung not only in kindergartens and nursery schools, but also in elementary and junior high schools.

Ryuichi Sugimoto’s beautiful lyrics and melody, woven with a sense of great love, quietly sink into the hearts of listeners.

The earnest expressions of the children engaging with this pure, serene piece move the adults watching to tears.

It was also used as the ending theme for NHK’s “Ikimono Chikyū Kikō” (A Journey Through the Living Earth), and beyond gratitude for friends and those close to us, it carries the grandeur of a hymn to the Earth itself—an enduring masterpiece that draws even adults in to listen intently.

Raise the rankinglower

Song of Joy

Song of Joy [Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony]

Song of Joy

“Yorokobi no Uta,” sung at graduation ceremonies from kindergarten, is a song by Yoko Komiyama.

Written from the perspective of children about to graduate, it expresses their joy and gratitude toward parents and teachers.

A distinctive feature is its structure with parts for adults—such as parents and teachers—creating a call-and-response style.

Through this song, why not share the appreciation and love that can be hard to put into words? Another charm of the piece is how it conveys the excitement and anticipation for life after graduation.

Raise the rankinglower

The One and Only Flower in the World

The Only Flower in the World – SMAP

The One and Only Flower in the World

SMAP’s smash hit “The One and Only Flower in the World.” Written and composed by Noriyuki Makihara, the song was included on the 2002 album “SMAP 015/Drink! Smap!” and released as a single the following year.

It was also used as the theme song for the drama “Boku no Ikiru Michi” (The Way I Live), starring group member Tsuyoshi Kusanagi.

The lyrics convey that even if you don’t come in first in competitions or contests, each person is a unique and irreplaceable presence.

The choreography showcased in the chorus is very simple, so try giving it a go while you sing!

Raise the rankinglower