For children, hand-play songs where they sing and interact with familiar adults and friends are so much fun.
Hand-play songs and traditional nursery rhymes are said to have a very positive effect on children’s brain and emotional development.
It’s something we’d love to incorporate a lot into everyday life.
So this time, we’re introducing hand-play songs and nursery rhymes that parents and children can enjoy together.
From classic tunes everyone has heard to popular songs sung in daycare centers and kindergartens, there’s a lot to choose from!
Please try to find songs you can enjoy together that match your children’s age and interests.
Many of these songs have a good tempo and catchy melodies or phrases, so they’re easy to learn right away!
[Parenting] Parent-Child Bonding! Hand-Play Songs and Traditional Nursery Rhymes (1–10)
Dango, dango, they stuck together.Lyrics/Composition: Nanbu Children's Center
[Hand Play] Dango, dango, stuck together — Recommended for kindergartens, nursery schools, and teaching practice!
This is a hand game called “Dango dango, they’re stuck,” where you press both hands, made into fists, against your cheeks.
You pretend your fists are rice dumplings, and the funny part is that your hands ‘won’t come off’ once they’re stuck to your cheeks.
It seems more fun for an adult to demonstrate it rather than having the child do it—saying things like, “They’re stuck, I can’t get them off—help me!” Pull with all your might, and when they finally come off, everyone can celebrate together saying, “I’m glad they came off!” It’s an easy and fun hand game you can play during the moon-viewing festival or at New Year’s as well.
This song is a hand play song that parents and children can enjoy together while interacting.
You pretend the baby’s or toddler’s body is a cleaning cloth, and gently act out motions like “sewing,” “washing,” “wringing,” and “wiping” in time with the lyrics.
With its rhythmic lyrics and simple moves, it’s easy for children to learn and they’ll soon be able to sing along.
The final wiping part is especially popular, where you hold the child’s feet and slide them across the floor.
Through this song, you can deepen parent–child bonding and nurture your child’s sense of rhythm and coordination.
It’s often sung at nurseries and kindergartens and is perfect for everyday moments of close interaction.
The song game “Tsuno Tsuno Tsū-no” boosts kids’ sense of “I wonder what it is?” The choreography—gently swaying horn shapes made with the index fingers to a relaxed rhythm—is adorable.
The unique lyrics that make children think, “What’s going to come out next?” are fun and spark their curiosity, while also helping them develop the ability to listen attentively.
A flurry of animals appears one after another, so animal-loving kids will be thrilled.
For the final “None!” make sure to sing it out energetically and have fun.
Here’s a fun hand-play song themed around sushi that kids love.
Set to a rhythmic melody, it features memorable movements that evoke the sushi-making process—like fanning the rice and playfully poking to mimic the sharp kick of wasabi.
Moving their hands while singing can help children develop a sense of rhythm and cooperation.
It was featured on NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho” and is beloved by many families.
It’s perfect not only for activities in nurseries and kindergartens but also for enjoyable bonding time with your child.
It’s a superb piece that showcases the unique charm of Kunihiro Taniguchi’s play songs.
Please have a seat, here's a chair.children’s song
Nursery rhyme game: “Osuwariyasu Isu-dosse.”
This song is a traditional nursery rhyme for parents and children to enjoy together.
It’s a playful song that has long been passed down in the Kansai region—especially Kyoto—where the adult becomes a “chair,” seats the child on their lap, and gently rocks them while singing.
The lyrics are short and set in a rhythmic Kyoto dialect, making them easy to remember.
In the final phrase, the adult opens their legs slightly so the child momentarily loses balance, adding a fun little surprise.
Through this play, you can deepen parent-child bonding while also nurturing the child’s sense of balance and rhythm.
It’s a popular song in preschools and kindergartens too, so be sure to try it with your child.
[With Big Brother Yoshi, Mom, and Dad, Let’s Go!] Riding the Bus – Long Version
This song is a fun fingerplay tune that lively expresses bus movements that children love.
Its energetic phrases are memorable, and kids can move their bodies in sync with the motions of the bus.
Turning right and left, going over bumpy roads and up and down hills—children can act out the bus’s movements with their bodies, stimulating their imaginations.
It’s perfect for interactive activities in nurseries and kindergartens.
And of course, singing and dancing together as a parent and child will surely make for a great time!
![[Parenting] Parent-child bonding! Hand-play songs and traditional nursery rhymes collection](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/OYTmIziiGpE/maxresdefault.webp)
