The season of children’s songs that warmly embrace the heart in October has arrived.
Crimson dragonflies at dusk, cosmos flowers, golden rice ready for harvest, and children going out to collect acorns and fallen leaves… Scenes that color autumn in Japan are beautifully depicted in the lyrics and melodies of these songs.
In this article, we introduce autumn children’s songs beloved in early childhood settings, as well as seasonal finger-play songs you can enjoy with kids.
Please sing these autumn songs—cherished across generations—together with your loved ones, children and adults alike!
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- [Children's Songs] Cute songs recommended for childcare. List of popular nursery rhymes.
- [Childcare] Summer songs: Full of fun! Summer nursery rhymes & finger-play songs
- [Childcare] Fun Songs for 2-Year-Olds to Sing! Recommended Song Collection
- [Preschool] Recommended choral pieces for 3-year-olds
- Nursery rhymes and play songs to enjoy with your baby. Gentle children's songs.
- Nursery rhymes and fingerplay songs to enjoy in May! Songs perfect for the fresh green season
- Choral songs that captivate 4-year-olds! A collection of heartfelt song ideas for junior kindergarten recitals
Recommended nursery rhymes and fingerplay songs for October! Music time in childcare that feels like autumn (1–10)
pine cone
“Matsubokkuri” is a children’s song with lyrics by Takao Hirota and music by Tsuyae Kobayashi.
As you may know, it’s a very short tune about a monkey eating a pine cone.
It’s also popular with children and is known as a hand-play song in kindergartens and nursery schools.
When you spot pine cones on an autumn walk, you can’t help but start singing it.
The monkey seems to be eating the seeds inside, but decorating with pine cones or playing with them in water is fun, too!
There's no such thing as ghosts.
Obake Nante Naisa is a song that’s often sung in summer, but with Halloween, it’s also a great pick for October.
It’s a song about a slightly timid child who insists, “There’s no such thing as ghosts!” while still thinking about what to do if one appears.
It’s very popular with children, so give it a try! Lyrics by Minori Maki, music by Akira Mine.
Potato Digging Song
Perfect for the autumn season, this song is a children’s tune about the fun of digging sweet potatoes.
Set to a bright and cheerful melody, it depicts children experiencing potato digging.
The call-and-response chant “Untokosho, dokkoisho” is memorable and really livens things up when everyone sings together! It’s often sung at autumn events and harvest festivals, and its simple, easy-to-remember lyrics make it enjoyable even for very young children.
Singing it before a potato-digging outing is a fun way for everyone to share the excitement.
Bright Red Autumn
One of the classic autumn songs, “Makkana Aki” (Deep-Red Autumn), with lyrics by Tadashi Satsuma and music by Hideo Kobayashi.
As autumn arrives, many things begin to take on color, starting with the autumn leaves.
It’s a very gentle song, like two people strolling together in search of those scenes.
In the comfortable autumn weather, children also have many chances to go out for walks.
It might be fun to sing this song while looking for the “colors of autumn” along the way.
I found a little sign of autumn.
Chiisai Aki Mitsuketa (I Found a Little Autumn) is a song composed in 1955 as one of the pieces for NHK’s special program Autumn Festival.
The lyrics were written by Hachiro Sato and the music was composed by Yoshinao Nakada.
There are many ways to interpret the lyrics, but simply following the words to discover the feeling of autumn also sounds enjoyable.
While the melody may feel a bit melancholy for children to sing, it is a very beautiful classic of autumn.
Please give it a listen.
Stroll March
Osanpo March gets you excited right from the prelude! Autumn scenery can feel a little lonely, but when you listen to this song, it seems like you could happily step on fallen leaves and walk along.
Its lively, march-like melody is perfect for children—if you sing it before a walk, some kids might get so eager they can’t wait to go outside! The lyrics also feature various autumn sights and traditions, so it sounds fun to collect those things as you follow along with the song.
Use what you gather to draw pictures or make toys, and create lots of wonderful memories!
dragonfly glasses
“Tonbo no Megane” (Dragonfly Glasses) is a children’s song that depicts an autumn scene and is widely known by people of all ages.
It’s a quintessential song for the fall season.
The lyrics, told from a child’s perspective, can capture the interest of children who may not be used to seeing dragonflies up close.
While it’s famous as a nursery song, adding hand play makes it even more enjoyable than just singing.
You can form circles with your fingers to mimic glasses, or use hand motions to express dragonflies flying through the autumn sky.