[Children's Songs] Cute songs recommended for childcare. List of popular nursery rhymes.
Kids love to sing!
Singing is a form of exercise, nurtures interest in language, and helps develop expressiveness and a sense of rhythm.
It’s also said that singing releases “happy hormones,” making it effective for relieving stress.
Bring plenty of music into daily life and sing freely together with your children.
This time, we’re introducing popular children’s songs we’d love you to sing and play with your kids!
We’ve collected everything from classic nursery rhymes passed down through the years to the latest hit songs.
You can search songs by category—animals, vehicles, food, and more—so you’re sure to find the perfect tune for your children.
If you add simple choreography or hand-play motions as well as singing, the kids will be thrilled!
Be sure to explore a variety of nursery rhymes and enjoy happy times with your children!
- [Childcare] Fun Songs for 2-Year-Olds to Sing! Recommended Song Collection
- [Preschool] Recommended choral pieces for 3-year-olds
- Choral songs that captivate 4-year-olds! A collection of heartfelt song ideas for junior kindergarten recitals
- Nursery rhymes to sing to your baby! Recommended songs enjoyable from 0 months
- [For 1-year-olds] Fun Together! Recommended Songs and Hand Play Collection
- Get pumped with popular songs from “Okaasan to Issho”! A collection of timeless tunes everyone will want to sing together
- Nursery Rhyme Popular Song Rankings [2025]
- [For 4-year-olds] Popular and classic songs to sing at recitals and seasonal events
- Sing and dance along to popular songs! Recommended hits from kids’ TV shows.
- [Minna no Uta] Tear-jerking masterpiece. A moving song you want to hear again.
- Children’s songs of the world: songs passed down and sung by children overseas
- I want to sing it at the senior class recital! A choral piece that 5-year-olds can sing with all their heart
- Lullabies: children's songs, folk songs, and nursery rhymes. Nostalgic songs for putting children to sleep.
Children’s songs: Popular nursery rhymes (1–10)
a small garden
“Chiisana Niwa” is a hand-play song that’s easy to do and beloved in nurseries and kindergartens.
It sings about seeds sown in a garden sprouting and blooming.
Children perform hand motions to match the lyrics, and the key is to adjust the size of the movements to the size of the seeds.
Since the same motions are repeated three times, kids can naturally learn it while enjoying the song and choreography.
It’s a nursery rhyme that brings smiles as children try the cute bloom-at-the-end gesture.
It’s also great to perform at a recital with the teacher’s piano accompaniment.
Watch the CarnivalDaisuke Yokoyama / Atsuko Ono
Let me introduce “Miteté Carnival,” a song that’s so fun it lifts your spirits just by listening! It aired in June 2024 on NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho.” The lyrics and music are by Takumi Murata, who is also the leader of the rock band “Carnavacation.” He creates music that fuses Brazilian sounds with pop, and he works on many songs for children as well.
For example, he wrote the September 2023 monthly song “Ninjin Engine Rocket” and the exercise song “Kao Taisou.” Through his music, Murata hopes to make the world as joyful as a carnival.
Be sure to sing along with your kids and make every day a little more fun!
your smileYuichiro Hanada, Maya Nagata
“Kimi no Egao” first appeared as the theme song for NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho,” broadcast in September 1985.
The song was written by Kazuki Takase (lyrics) and Yoshinori Tanaka (music).
It celebrates the brightness and happiness brought by children’s smiles, featuring a simple, warm melody.
With heartwarming lyrics perfect for a children’s program, it evokes the bond between parents and children.
It gently conveys a kindness that helps smiles spread naturally in everyday life.
Even today, it remains beloved by both children and adults.
Children’s songs: Popular nursery rhymes (11–20)
Hyurara boon-boon!Yuichiro Hanada, Maya Nagata
Let me introduce a song that gets everyone from kids to adults pumped up: “Hyura Love Boom Boom!” It’s a pop, happy track that’s perfect for shaking off morning drowsiness or lifting your spirits when you’re feeling low.
First performed in March 2024, the song was written and composed by Nobuhiro Mitomo.
From the intro to the very end, it stays consistently rhythmic, and with many repeated lyrics, it’s easy for children to remember.
Plus, dancing along with the energetic choreography is sure to boost your mood!
The Song of KonkonshyanLyrics by: Yoshiko Kayama / Music by: Akira Yuyama
This song, which depicts animals wearing unique masks and sneezing, has long been loved by children.
The cute descriptions of masks tailored to each animal—like squirrels and hippos—spark kids’ imaginations.
It’s also popular as a hand-play song in kindergartens and nurseries, where children pretend to be the animals and move their bodies as they sing, making learning even more fun.
Released in 1961, the song delivers an enjoyable message about the importance of preventing colds.
It’s perfect for fostering awareness of health and for learning about animal characteristics.
Let’s all sing together and think about health in a fun way!
Green light from the blue sky
Known as a song from “With Daddy,” “Blue-Sky Go Sign” is a lovely track that gives the impression that once you take the leap, there are wonderful days waiting under the blue sky.
The blue sky feels like the start of a fun time, doesn’t it? It’s a song that’s enjoyable just to sing, so how about singing it while keeping rhythm with castanets or a tambourine? It also works great as a dance number—with lively choreography, it’s perfect for events like sports days.
Applause for you!Yuichiro Hanada, Maya Nagata, Makoto Fukuo, Anzuki Akimoto
Clapping serves as the motif for a bright, refreshing cheer song, “Kimi ni Hakushu!” which appeared as the February 2023 song on NHK’s Okaasan to Issho.
The lyrics were written by the unit “Aritarou,” and the composition was handled by Taro Masuda himself.
Its rhythmic melody and handclaps resonate with fun! The lyrics are filled with positive phrases like “A round of applause for the one I love,” “A round of applause for being born,” and “A round of applause for the miracle that we met,” making it a song that brings energy and gratitude to both children and adults.
Be sure to listen while clapping along with your kids!