We’d like to introduce some nursery songs to enjoy with your baby.
These days, many babies are exposed to music from the time they’re in the womb through prenatal education.
Some families sing nursery rhymes as lullabies to help put their babies to sleep.
In this article, we’ve gathered gentle nursery songs and lullabies you’ll want to listen to with your baby, along with playful songs great for childcare and popular anime tunes.
They’re all fun songs that even babies who don’t understand words yet can enjoy.
Please try listening together as a parent and child.
Also perfect for baby massage!
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Nursery rhymes and play songs to enjoy with your baby. Gentle children's songs (1–10)
Hand in hand ♪ (Friends Ver.)Shimajirō
Shimajirō, the beloved character from the popular kids’ program Kodomo Challenge, sings “Hand in Hand (Friends Ver.
).” In the first verse, just like the title says, everyone holds hands to form one big circle; in the second verse, it continues with a warm message about everyone smiling together.
The bright melody, filled with Shimajirō’s energetic spirit, is sure to catch even a baby’s attention.
For now, it’s a circle made with Mom and Dad, but when you grow up, join hands with your friends and make an even bigger circle! With that wish from Mom and Dad, enjoy listening together with your baby.
Anpanman's MarchDreaming
Anime “Soreike! Anpanman” is something almost all babies inevitably encounter.
Its opening theme, “Anpanman no March,” has an energetic melody that lifts your spirits.
The lyrics resonate with adults as well, making it a beloved song across generations.
The lyrics were written by Takashi Yanase, the original creator of “Soreike! Anpanman,” and the music was composed by Takashi Miki, who has worked on many Japanese songs.
The melody is easy for even very young babies to move along to, and many babies are delighted just by hearing it.
As you listen together, you might find yourself wishing for your child to grow into a kind person like Anpanman, the hero of justice.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” is a lullaby for babies.
It spread worldwide in the 1800s with the English title and lyrics “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” and it remains beloved around the world today.
The lyrics describe the stars shining in the night sky, but it is also sometimes sung with lyrics adapted to help children learn the alphabet step by step.
Because the English lyrics use simple words, it’s nice to listen to the English version as your child grows.
Enjoy a peaceful moment of sleep with this song, which carries the gentle light of the stars.
LullabyLyrics: Hakushū Kitahara / Music: Shin Kusakawa
Cradle Song, sung by Rimi Natsukawa, is perfect for lulling a baby to sleep.
Released in 2011, this song is a beloved lullaby from the Taisho era with lyrics by Hakushu Kitahara and music by Shin Kusakawa.
In 1967, the male vocal group The Bonny Jacks performed it on the program Minna no Uta.
The song paints a gentle scene around a cradle, helping babies drift off peacefully.
In Natsukawa’s version, the melody is woven together with the soft tones of the Okinawan sanshin, reflecting her roots.
Be sure to give it a listen during those tender moments as your baby falls asleep.
Even with just one, it's a carrot.Kenichi Nagira
A counting song that makes it easy to get a feel for numbers, “Ippon demo Ninjin.” Sung by Kenichi Nagira, this track was included on the B-side of the hugely popular children’s song “Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun” and released in 1975.
Its lyrics uniquely pair numbers with foods or objects whose names resemble those numbers—sometimes a bit forcefully—which lets listeners experience the quirky connections between numbers and words.
The distinctive melodic phrasing also tends to stick in your ear.
Hopefully, this song will help children gradually become more comfortable with numbers!
Toy Cha-Cha-ChaLyrics by Akiyuki Nosaka (additional lyrics by Osamu Yoshioka) / Music by Nobuyoshi Koshibe
What if the toys that played so much during the day were free to play while we’re asleep…! The nursery rhyme “Omocha no Cha-Cha-Cha” conjures up scenes like Disney’s Toy Story.
It was originally created as an adult pop song, but was later remade with the current lyrics and became beloved by many children.
It’s also fun to take out various toys you have at home and sing while adding a little twist to the lyrics! Adding simple hand motions to match the words makes it even more enjoyable to sing.
Snip-Snip Dance
A simple dance you can do using the “scissors” from rock-paper-scissors—the Choki Choki Dance! If your baby can already make the scissors hand, try dancing together with Mom or Dad.
If your baby can’t make the scissors yet, Mom or Dad can dance and show it to them.
First, make the scissors with one hand at a time and dance in turn.
At the end, make scissors with both hands and dance in a double peace pose.
It’s not a difficult dance, so get into the rhythm and have fun giving it a try!