[Children’s Songs] Let’s Sing of Spring! A Fun Collection of Nursery Rhymes, Folk Songs, and Children’s Songs

The flower smiled.Lyrics by Kogo Hotomi / Music by Akira Yuyama

The flower smiled.

Akira Yuyama, a composer who created numerous children’s songs and choral pieces, wrote “The Flowers Laughed.” In spring, a variety of flowers bloom in vivid colors, and just looking at them in the cheerful weather can make you feel warm and relaxed.

This song is packed with that cozy feeling—perhaps, from a child’s point of view, the flowers looked as if they were smiling.

Just imagining that scene is heartwarming, isn’t it? It’s a spring song that even very young children can sing easily.

Let's clap our handsLyrics by Junichi Kobayashi / Music by Traditional Czechoslovak Folk Song

Let's Clap Our Hands

When we think of children’s songs, we tend to imagine melodies that have been heard and sung since long ago and passed down in Japan.

But in fact, there are many songs where a foreign melody has Japanese lyrics added.

This song, “Te o Tatakimashou” (“Let’s Clap Our Hands”), is one of those; it’s said to originate from a Czech folk tune.

It’s also known as the folk dance song “Wooden Shoes.” Although the lyrics don’t mention spring, it’s one of the well-known hand-play songs associated with the idea that children will play with it after entering kindergarten or nursery school.

The Puppy Police OfficerLyrics by Yoshimi Sato / Music by Onaka Megumi

“The Policeman Dog” (with gestures) [Japanese Songs / Children's Songs]

Kids really do get lost so easily, don’t they? Many parents have probably experienced that moment when you look away for just a second and they’re gone! This song features a lost kitten and a police officer’s dog, and it’s one that’s been loved for generations—by parents and even grandparents.

It’s also a long-time favorite among children and has been sung in nurseries and kindergartens for years.

Mr. Ant on an errandLyrics: Eiichi Sekine / Music: Ikuma Dan

Mr. Ant on an errand

When spring comes and the weather warms up, insects become more active and we see them more often.

If your child likes bugs, you probably go out to various places to observe them quite a bit.

“Otsukai Ari-san” is a song that cutely and comically describes the life of ants, and it’s often sung by children in nursery schools and kindergartens.

It’s a song you can move your body to while singing, making it perfect for the warm spring season! You might even find yourself humming it when you spot ants on a walk.

TulipLyrics by Miyako Kondo / Music by Takeshi Inoue

♪ Tulip – Tulip | ♪ Bloomed, bloomed, the tulip flowers [Japanese song / shoka]

Speaking of spring, it’s also the season when flowers begin to bloom.

How about singing “Tulips” (Chūrippu)? This piece was composed by Takeshi Inoue with lyrics by Miyako Kondo.

The song straightforwardly celebrates the beauty of tulips.

It’s said that Miyako Kondo came up with the lyrics after seeing tulips of various colors blooming in her home garden.

Let’s expand our imagination and picture just how those tulips might have been blooming.

carp streamerLyrics by Miyako Kondo / Composer: Unknown

♪ Koinobori – Carp Streamers | Carp Streamers Higher Than the Rooftops; The Big Black Carp Is Father [Japanese Song / Shoka]

Koinobori is a well-known children’s song for spring, especially associated with May.

As Children’s Day on May 5 approaches, it’s one of those nursery rhymes you hear popping up everywhere.

And when you see carp streamers fluttering against the pleasant blue spring sky, this is the song that automatically starts playing in your head.

As kids, many of us sang it without knowing what “magoi” and “higoi” meant, but it might be nice to sing it with your child while explaining that the black carp is the magoi and the red carp is the higoi.

It’s a perfect spring song to sing while looking up at the sky together with grandpa and grandma.

The shoes make a sound.Lyrics by Katsura Shimizu / Music by Ryutaro Hirota

[Complete Collection of Children's Songs and Nursery Rhymes] The Shoes Are Ringing

Spring brings mild weather and is the perfect season for a stroll, isn’t it? So I’d like to introduce a song that depicts children going for a walk in spring.

It’s “Kutsu ga Naru,” which is also featured among Japan’s 100 Selected Songs.

This charming piece uses lyrics that personify the sound of footsteps as animals, capturing the feeling of walking while your shoes go click-clack.

As you listen, imagine what kind of shoe sounds are being made and what emotions are being felt, based on the animals mentioned.

It sounds fun to sing it during a walk, too.