Lovely childcare

Nursery rhymes to sing to your baby! Recommended songs enjoyable from 0 months

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderKepiko
Graduated from a music university with a major in early childhood education. In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher, which had a significant influence on me. Since then, I have spent 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, and in Singapore I worked as a music teacher while promoting Japanese culture, engaging with many children. As an editor, I also worked on planning and editing in the editorial department of a grade-level magazine. Drawing on my experience and learning so far, I hope to deliver articles that are useful to everyone. My hobbies are music, the outdoors, and reading.
20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherDr. Chick
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.

Here are some heartwarming songs recommended for babies!

Why not spend a happy time by singing along to the rhythm, enjoying your baby’s smile as you do?

Sway your body to the beat and clap your hands to the lyrics—the fun will only grow.

When babies see adults singing, they naturally open their hearts and feel your love.

Playing along with cheerful songs can also give you moments when you really feel your baby’s growth!

Enjoy a joyful music time together with your little one.

Nursery rhymes to sing to your baby! Recommended songs you can enjoy from age 0 (1–10)

Story FingerLyrics by Michio Mado / Music by Yoshinao Nakata

♪Talking Fingers Song <with gestures>

Ohanashi Yubi-san Lyrics: Mado Michio / Music: Yoshinao Nakata

“Ohanashi Yubisan” is a song you can use for fingerplay, where the thumb is the father, the index finger is the mother, and so on—the fingers become a family and tell a story.

You can simply move your fingers while singing, but using finger puppets as you sing will likely make the baby even happier.

Since the pinky is the baby, it also sounds fun to sing while calling the baby by name.

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laundryLyrics by Yaso Saijō / Music by Yoshinao Nakata

Tactile play (clapping/interaction game): Sleepy time – Ages 0 and up

Laundry Lyrics by: Saijō Yaso / Music by: Nakata Yoshinao

This song is a nursery rhyme and one of the interactive play activities that parents and children can enjoy from infancy.

While humming the song, mothers and fathers can hold their child and play together.

As you hold your child in your arms, gently rock them or give them a warm hug.

Being close to you and hearing your gentle voice will help your child feel secure and relaxed.

It’s a highly recommended interactive play activity that has been enjoyed for generations.

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Tonton Tomato-chanLyrics/Composition: Rie Hamada

Tonton Tomato-chan♪ With Mommy | Baby Stops Crying | Songs Babies Love | Nursery Rhyme | Children's Song | Hand Play | Dance | With Choreography | Educational Animation

Tonton Tomato-chan Lyrics/Composition: Rie Hamada

The bright, rhythmic tune played on NHK E-Tele’s preschool program is truly charming.

This heartwarming melody, themed around hide-and-seek, is designed to spark babies’ curiosity—much like the peekaboo game “Inai Inai.

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Baa!” Its catchy, rhythmic phrases are easy to remember and packed with fun elements that parents and children can hum along to together.

First broadcast in 2009, the song was included on albums such as “Inai Inai Baa! Bun Bun Bukyuun!” As a popular track used in the show’s mini-animation segment, it’s loved by many children.

It’s a highly recommended song for creating warm moments with your child—swaying to the rhythm and clapping along together!

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Nursery rhymes to sing to your baby! Recommended songs you can enjoy from 0 years old (11–20)

Bread SongLyrics by Mitsutoshi Yamano / Music by Yoshinao Nakata

Bread Song

Bread Song Lyrics: Mitsutoshi Yamano / Music: Yoshinao Nakata

Here is “The Bread Song,” perfect for gently giving your baby a soothing massage.

Sung to the melody of the nursery rhyme “Bee, Bee, Bee” (Bunbunbun), it describes how bread is made.

When doing the baby massage, imagine your baby’s body as the bread dough and massage accordingly.

Gently massage your baby in time with the actions of kneading and shaping the dough.

Baby massage can help with relaxation and improve circulation, so try it before bedtime or when your baby seems a little fussy.

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Tickle TrainLyrics/Music by Toshiaki Okamoto

Recommended by childcare workers! Interactive play 'Tickle Tickle Train' for 0- and 1-year-olds

Tickle-Tickle Train Lyrics/Music: Toshiaki Okamoto

Kochokocho Densha (Tickle Train) is a recommended song for playing with and soothing your baby—perfect for parents and children to enjoy together.

While your baby is lying down, gently move their feet and sing along.

The Tickle Train arrives and “stops” at different parts of the baby’s body, imagining them as stations.

Tickle the soles of their feet or the palms of their hands.

Changing the body parts each time keeps the game fresh and fun.

It’s a play song that delights little ones from newborns whose job is mostly to sleep up to around one year old, so give it a try!

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On the busLyrics by Mitsutoshi Yamano / Music by Yoshinao Nakata

Kasama Tomobe Tomobe Kindergarten Childcare Information: “Hand Play & Song Play Vol. 39 – Riding the Bus”

On the Bus Lyrics by Mitsutoshi Yamano / Music by Yoshinao Nakata

“Riding the Bus” is a very fun song where you can play pretend bus and sing along.

Swaying gently to the right and left, bumping along a rough road—the cute and amusing movements are part of its charm.

When playing with a baby, seat them on your lap and enjoy it out loud! How about Dad as the driver? It’s great fun for the whole family to hop on the bus together and play noisily!

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Cucumbers are ready.Lyrics: Tokie Nakagawa / Music: Takashi Yanase

Fingerplay song, interactive play: “Cucumbers Are Ready” [Shufunotomo Co., Ltd.]

Cucumbers Have Grown Lyrics: Kieko Nakagawa / Music: Takashi Yanase

“Cucumber Is Ready” is a parent-and-child activity where you pretend the baby is a cucumber and enjoy baby-massage-like movements together.

Following lyrics that describe cooking a nicely grown cucumber, you gently touch and ‘cook’ the baby playing the role of the cucumber.

Shake and stroke the body softly, and when the cucumber dish is finished, you pretend to eat it deliciously at the end! Make sure to do this massage only after your baby can hold up their head.

It’s a precious kind of play you can only enjoy while your baby is little, so both dads and moms, please give it a try!

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