[Childcare] Summer songs: Full of fun! Summer nursery rhymes & finger-play songs
When the rainy season ends, summer finally arrives! Here, we’ll introduce a variety of children’s songs to help you enjoy the season.
We’ve gathered songs that kids love, as well as hand-play songs often sung in nurseries and kindergartens.
Listening to these songs will make you look forward to the long-awaited summer even more.
Hand-play songs are also fun for little ones, so be sure to incorporate them into your childcare activities.
While the days will be getting hotter, some children’s songs can make you feel cooler just by listening.
Enjoy a fun-filled summer together with the children!
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[Childcare] Summer Songs: Full of Fun! Summer Nursery Rhymes & Fingerplay Songs (81–90)
Song of the cicadaLyrics by Yoshimi Sato / Music by Yoshinao Nakata
When the sound of cicadas reaches your ears, you can’t help but feel that summer has arrived.
If their chorus is too loud it can seem noisy, but the chirping of cicadas is closely linked with summer in Japan.
The children’s song “Cicada Song,” which is popular among kids, is highly recommended—if you sing it together while catching cicadas on a hot summer day, it makes the game even more fun.
Coming up with your own original dance moves could be enjoyable too!
rainfallLyrics by Hakushu Kitahara / Music by Shinpei Nakayama
Even if the title “Amefuri” doesn’t ring a bell, once you hear the tune you can probably sing along right away, don’t you think? It’s the kind of song that could make even a rainy day—when you’re really feeling blue—seem fun.
The part that imitates the sound of rain is especially memorable, isn’t it? But in fact, it seems that Hakushū Kitahara, who wrote the lyrics, embedded a sad story in this song.
If you’re curious, listen closely to the lyrics all the way through verse five.
aye-ayeLyrics by Hiromi Aida / Music by Seiichiro Uno
A children’s song called “Ai Ai” features an animal named the aye-aye, a cousin of monkeys.
Since aye-ayes live on the hot southern island of Madagascar, it’s the perfect song for the hot summer season! The lyrics introduce the aye-aye’s characteristics, so it might be fun to look it up in a picture book or encyclopedia while singing.
Even very young children who aren’t used to talking much yet can sing it easily, so try singing it while imitating monkey movements!
Summer MemoriesLyrics: Akiko Ema / Music: Yoshinao Nakata
As the lyrics say, when summer comes, the Japanese summer song that springs to mind is surely “Natsu no Omoide” (Summer Memories).
Many people probably sang it in chorus back in junior high school.
It appears in music textbooks, too, and it’s no exaggeration to call it a summer song deeply etched in the hearts of the Japanese.
“Natsu no Omoide” was released in 1949, with lyrics by Akiko Ema, famed for works like “Hana no Machi,” and music by Yoshinao Nakata, known for “Chiisai Aki Mitsuketa” and “Medaka no Gakkō.” It’s truly a piece born from the exceptional talents of these two creators.
water playLyrics by Kume Azuma / Music by Rentarō Taki
It was included in the Kindergarten Song Collection published in 1901.
Using colloquial lyrics to create nursery songs for young children was considered groundbreaking at the time.
With its simple and short lyrics, it’s a song that even little children can enjoy clapping and playing along to.
Mount FujiLyrics by Konami Iwaya / Composer: Unknown
This is a children’s song and a Ministry of Education shoka (school song) with lyrics written by Iwaya Sazanami.
The composer is unknown.
It’s a famous piece that is also known by the title “Fuji-san.” Many people may have sung it in their childhood.
If you enjoy mountain climbing, you’ve probably heard it at least once.
[Childcare] Summer Songs. Full of Fun! Summer Children's Songs & Hand-Play Songs (91–100)
Sea Dance
There are many songs with an ocean theme, but we want to protect our beautiful seas and encourage people to learn about them.
With that wish in mind, let’s sing “Umi Dance” during the summer beach season.
Its upbeat, catchy rhythm makes it a lively number that’s perfect for singing and dancing together.
The charm of the song is that you can have fun while learning about what’s good and bad for the marine environment.
Through the song and dance, you can discover what’s important to keep the seas surrounding Japan clean and healthy forever.
If you come up with choreography and dance together, it will be great fun for school plays and recitals, too.