Sky nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs
I’ve gathered children’s songs related to the sky—like stars, the moon, sunsets, fireworks, and the weather.
I think many of these are songs you heard when you were little.
They’re classics that have been sung for generations, so they give you a sense of the good old days.
Please listen and enjoy a bit of nostalgia.
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- [Sea Nursery Rhymes] Fun children's songs themed around the sea
- Masterpieces that sing of the stars. Star songs that resonate in the heart, best heard beneath the night sky.
- [Tanabata Children's Songs] Fun hand-play songs and a nostalgic collection of traditional nursery rhymes and folk songs
- [Moon Songs Special] Famous songs about the moon. Songs you’ll want to listen to under a full moon or in the moonlight.
- [Children’s Songs of Autumn] Autumn songs, school songs, and traditional children’s rhymes. A collection of classic pieces to sing in autumn.
- Nostalgic Children’s Songs, Folk Songs, and Nursery Rhymes: The Heart of Japan Passed Down Through Song
Sky Nursery Rhymes, Folk Songs, and Children's Songs (21–30)
butterflyAki
This is a nursery rhyme with a long history, featured in the Shogaku Shoka-shu, Japan’s first music textbook from the Meiji era.
Depicting butterflies lightly fluttering from flower to flower under a bright sky, this song has long been cherished by the Japanese.
red sky at eveningShin Kusakawa
Uko Nakamura, the lyricist, had experience as an elementary school teacher.
It is said that during his teaching days, he saw an exceptionally beautiful sunset on his way home and captured that scene in the lyrics.
Conveying the bittersweet feeling of a joyful day coming to an end, this song has been passed down as a beloved classic in Japan.
Children’s Songs, Folk Songs, and Nursery Rhymes of the Sky (31–40)
sunsetKeiko Kondo
It’s famous for its opening line, “Gingin-gira, the setting sun sinks.” Don’t you think describing the sunset as “gingin giragira” is such a poetic and lovely expression? The lyrics wonderfully convey the sun’s tremendous life force.
Please try listening to it with your child.
carp streamerComposer unknown
This is a song themed around koi nobori (carp streamers) displayed on May 5th for Tango no Sekku, the Boys’ Festival.
The sight of colorful carp streamers swimming leisurely in the sky is a Japanese seasonal tradition that has continued since the Edo period.
The image of the carp streamers gliding comfortably through the air is expressed in a relaxed, expansive musical style.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Starnursery rhyme
Even very young children find “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” easy to sing.
As a nursery rhyme passed down with various lyrics around the world, it is immensely popular among kids.
It’s also lovely to sing it with hand motions.
Please do listen to it together with your child.