Japanese fingerplay and action songs, known as teasobi, combine singing with simple hand and arm movements. For 3-year-olds, they’re easiest to bring into your day when you choose them by the moment you’ll use them in, such as morning circle time or a few minutes of waiting. When a movement is tricky, an adult can demonstrate a simpler version, and watching from the side is a way of taking part, too.
If you’re not sure where to begin, start with Musunde Hiraite, which uses simple movements such as opening and closing the hands and clapping. Children who are new to these songs can usually join in easily. None of the 15 songs here needs props, accompaniment, or a recording; an adult singing is enough.
For each song, you’ll find when to use it, what to say before you start, the basic movements, ways to make it easier, and something to say when you finish. We haven’t included lyrics, so please check how each song is sung in the reference videos (in Japanese). You can follow the movements without understanding the words. The phrases are our editorial suggestions, not part of the lyrics, and the English song titles are provided as guides to meaning, not official titles.
Keep in mind that a 3-year-old class at a Japanese hoikuen (daycare center) or yochien (kindergarten), often called the nensho class, includes children who have already turned 4 as well as children who have only just turned 3. Rather than deciding a child “should be able to do it” based on age, choose songs that suit the children in front of you.
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Choosing Songs for Different Moments in the Day
It’s easier to pick a song once you know where you’ll use it: one that signals the start of something during morning circle time, or one you can play on the spot while children are waiting. Then look beyond the length of the song to the finger shapes and how often the movements change. Songs that raise one finger at a time, or ask each hand to make a different shape, can be much harder for some children than for others, even within the same class.
Our grouping by situation is an editorial suggestion. Feel free to use the songs at other times.
Quick Guide to the 15 Songs
| Song | Example situations | Main movements | Ways to make it easier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hajimaru yo | Starting an activity | Clapping, showing numbers with fingers and turning them into shapes | Joining in with just the clapping is fine |
| Ton Ton Ton Ton Hige-jiisan | Morning circle, the start of group time | Making shapes around the face | Show each spot on the face one at a time beforehand |
| Musunde Hiraite | A first fingerplay | Opening and closing the hands, clapping, raising the arms | Leaving out the arm movements is fine |
| Ippon Yubi de Hakushu | Enjoying differences in sound | Clapping with more and more fingers | Ordinary clapping without counting fingers is fine |
| Guu Choki Paa de Nani Tsukurou | Morning circle, short gaps in the day | Combining shapes made by each hand | Any two raised fingers count as “scissors” |
| Kyabetsu no Naka kara | Waiting time, before meals | Raising fingers one at a time | Tell children it’s fine if the ring finger won’t stand up |
| Mikkusu Juusu | Before snack time | Pointing to parts of the face, circling the arms | Say where to point before each move |
| Kodomo to Kodomo ga Kenka Shite | Waiting time in a small group | Touching matching fingers together in order | If a child wants help, guide gently without forcing their fingers |
| Yasai no Uta | Before lunch or other meals | A different gesture for each vegetable | Say the name of the next vegetable first |
| Korokoro Tamago | Calm, quiet moments | Stroking motions and hand shapes for a chick and a chicken | Make the changes larger and slower |
| Obentobako no Uta | Before lunch | Drawing a box, using numbers of fingers for foods | Start with the big box-drawing movement |
| Panda Usagi Koala | Between activities during group time | Switching between eyes, head, and hugging shapes | Slow the song down and wait for each change |
| Ookina Kuri no Ki no Shita de | Autumn group time | Making a tree overhead, hands on head and shoulders | Leave enough space so arms don’t bump |
| Yakiimo Guu Chii Paa | Autumn and winter group time | Rock, scissors, paper, with janken at the end | Finish without deciding winners |
| Kira Kira Boshi | Winter group time, the start of an event | Opening and closing the hands like twinkling stars | Opening and closing the hands in front of the chest is fine |
Before You Start
- Has an adult run through the movements once?
- Can the children see the adult’s hands from where they’re sitting?
- Is there enough room to spread arms without hitting a neighbor?
- Have you thought about how to make the harder movements easier?
- Have you decided what comes after the song?
Ways to Make the Movements Easier
With a new song, show just the movements once before you sing. Slow down where the movements change quickly, and give a cue right before, such as “Next is paper,” so children can get ready. If you hold your hands up at about face level, they’re easier for children to see.
The song-by-song guide below focuses on where children are most likely to get stuck with each song.
5 Songs for Morning Circle and the Start of Activities
At the start of an activity, choose songs where the adult’s movements are easy to see and that give children a natural way to start copying.
1. Hajimaru yo (“It’s Starting” / はじまるよ)
When to use it: Before morning circle or a story, when you want to signal that something is about to begin.
What to say before you start: “Something’s about to start. Watch my hands!”
Basic movements: After clapping, show numbers with the fingers of both hands, counting up from one, and turn each number into a shape. What each shape represents differs from version to version, so check the reference video before you begin.
(Source: A former daycare teacher’s ideas for home play with daycare fingerplays — Kaden Watch (Japanese))
Ways to make it easier: Showing exactly the right number of fingers isn’t a condition for joining in. Keep going even if some children only enjoy the clapping.
When you finish: Clearly name the next activity: “Now it’s time for a story!”
2. Ton Ton Ton Ton Hige-jiisan (“Tap-Tap Bearded Grandpa” / とんとんとんとんひげじいさん)
When to use it: At morning circle or right after children gather. Because it uses the area around the face, do it where children can see your face.
What to say before you start: “Here comes a grandpa with a beard. Put your hands in the same places as mine.”
Basic movements: Alternate between a movement that keeps the rhythm and placing both hands around the face to make shapes: a beard, a lump on the cheek, a long nose like that of a tengu (a figure from Japanese folklore), and glasses. At the end, raise the hands, flutter them down, and rest them on the knees.
(Source: 59 recommended fingerplay songs for childcare — Hoiku-is (Japanese))
Ways to make it easier: For a child who isn’t sure where to put their hands, show each spot one at a time before singing: “This is the beard.”
When you finish: Once hands are on knees, move on: “I can see everyone’s face. Let’s find out who today’s helpers are.”
3. Musunde Hiraite (“Close, Open” / むすんでひらいて)
When to use it: When doing fingerplays for the first time, such as in April at the start of the Japanese school year, or when a new child has joined.
What to say before you start: “Make a fist, now open your hand. Can you do it?”
Basic movements: Close and open both hands, clap, and raise and lower the arms.
(Source: 59 recommended fingerplay songs for childcare — Hoiku-is (Japanese))
Ways to make it easier: Leave out the arm movements and let children join in by just opening and closing their hands. Keep going even if the clapping doesn’t match the song.
When you finish: Tell children where to put their hands before moving on: “Let’s finish with our hands on our knees.”
4. Ippon Yubi de Hakushu (“Clapping with One Finger” / いっぽんゆびではくしゅ)
When to use it: At the start of an activity, when you want to enjoy how sounds change.
What to say before you start: “Let’s clap with just one finger. What kind of sound does it make?”
Basic movements: Clap with one finger against the other hand, then add fingers, two, three, and on up to five. As more fingers join in, the clapping gets louder.
(Source: 150 hand and finger games adults enjoy too — small-giant.work (Japanese))
Ways to make it easier: There’s no need to count fingers. If a child joins in with ordinary clapping, just carry on.
When you finish: Lower your voice as you start talking: “That got loud! Now listen to my quiet voice.”
If you’d rather finish with the sound getting quieter before a calm activity, there’s a separate song, Gohon Yubi no Hakushu (“Clapping with Five Fingers”), that goes from five fingers down to one.
(Source: Gohon Yubi no Hakushu — Hoiclue (Japanese))
5. Guu Choki Paa de Nani Tsukurou (“What Can We Make with Rock, Scissors, Paper?” / グーチョキパーでなにつくろう)
When to use it: At morning circle or when there’s a little time to fill.
What to say before you start: “What can we make with rock, scissors, and paper?”
Basic movements: This song uses guu (rock, a fist), choki (scissors), and paa (paper, an open hand), the hand shapes from janken (rock-paper-scissors). Make a shape with each hand and combine them into something new. For example, make the scissors shape with both hands to suggest a crab, use two open hands for a butterfly, or rest a scissors-shaped hand on a fist to make a snail.
(Source: Popular fingerplay and action songs for kids — RAG MusicHoiku (Japanese))
Ways to make it easier: If the scissors shape is hard to make, any two raised fingers will do; it doesn’t have to be the index and middle finger.
When you finish: Ask one or two children, “What else could we make?” before moving on. Their ideas can become part of the song next time.
7 Songs for Waiting Time and Everyday Topics
Familiar themes such as food and animals can help children join in while they wait. These suggestions are for moments when children are waiting in places where singing is welcome, such as a classroom or at home. Where children need to stay quiet, try something else, such as doing just the movements without singing.
6. Kyabetsu no Naka kara (“From Inside the Cabbage” / キャベツのなかから)
When to use it: During waiting time or before meals. Children tend to watch the finger movements closely.
What to say before you start: “Who’s going to come out of the cabbage?”
Basic movements: Stack the hands, swapping them back and forth, to make a cabbage, then raise the fingers one at a time to show caterpillars coming out. At the end, the caterpillar becomes a butterfly that flutters down onto the knees.
(Source: 59 recommended fingerplay songs for childcare — Hoiku-is (Japanese))
(Source: 5 fingerplays for spring — Hoicil (Japanese))
Ways to make it easier: Getting the ring finger to stand up straight is hard even for adults. You might say, “This finger only goes up a little, doesn’t it?” Let children know that their fingers don’t have to match yours.
When you finish: Once the butterfly lands on the knees, move on: “OK, let’s get ready for lunch.”
7. Mikkusu Juusu (“Mixed Juice” / ミックスジュース)
When to use it: Before snack time or meals.
What to say before you start: “Let’s pretend parts of our faces are fruit. Can you find them?”
Basic movements: Find an apple, grapes, a strawberry, and cherries by pointing to the part of the face each one resembles in shape. Then pretend to put the fruit in a blender and circle your arms to show it mixing.
(Source: Popular fingerplay songs for kids — RAG MusicHoiku (Japanese))
Ways to make it easier: Before each move, say where to point, for example, “Next is your cheek.” Don’t speed up the song to turn it into a race.
When you finish: Ask, “What do you think our juice tastes like?” and lead into snack time.
8. Kodomo to Kodomo ga Kenka Shite (“When Two Kids Quarrel” / 子どもと子どもがけんかして)
When to use it: When sitting and waiting in a small group. Because you’re showing small finger movements, it works best when children are close to you.
What to say before you start: “This is a story about our fingers. Watch my fingers carefully.”
Basic movements: Matching fingers on both hands meet each other. Tap the little fingers together, touch the ring fingers lightly, wave the middle fingers side to side, and bend and straighten the index fingers. Finally, raise the thumbs and gently bump your fists together.
(Source: Kodomo no Kenka: a fun finger game — Hoiclue (Japanese))
Ways to make it easier: Raising one finger at a time can feel hard for 3-year-olds, and some sources present this song as suitable from age 4. Start by showing a simpler version, such as pressing palms together instead of fingertips. If a child wants help, you can gently guide the movement without forcing their fingers into position.
(Source: Kodomo to Kodomo ga Kenka Shite: fingerplay — Asoppa! (Japanese))
When you finish: End it as play: “The fingers are friends again.” There’s no need to link it to how to resolve real arguments.
9. Yasai no Uta (“The Vegetable Song” / やさいのうた)
When to use it: Before lunch or other meals, or when you want to talk about vegetables.
What to say before you start: “Which vegetables will we meet today?”
Basic movements: Each vegetable has its own gesture. Some are based on Japanese wordplay rather than on what the vegetable looks like; the carrot’s ninja pose, for example, plays on the sound of ninjin, the Japanese word for carrot. Materials from Minato City in Tokyo show the following movements:
- Tomato: stack the fists one on top of the other, taking turns
- Cabbage: close and open your hands
- Cucumber: a wringing motion, like squeezing out a cloth
- Daikon radish: tap your head lightly
- Green pepper: raise your index finger
- Kabocha squash: clap
- Carrot: a ninja pose
- Napa cabbage: pinch your nose
- Onion: pretend to cry
- Burdock root: put your hands together overhead and sway
Movements may differ from one daycare center or kindergarten to another.
(Source: Yasai no Uta — Minato City, Tokyo (Japanese PDF))
Ways to make it easier: The vegetables change quickly, so saying the next vegetable’s name before each move helps children get ready. They can enjoy the song without learning every gesture.
When you finish: Lead into mealtime: “Are there vegetables in today’s lunch? Let’s take a look.” Don’t expect this song to end picky eating; use it as a way to start a conversation.
How it’s sung
(Source: Yasai no Uta, performed by a daycare teacher — Hoiku-is (Japanese))
10. Korokoro Tamago (“Rolling Egg” / ころころたまご)
When to use it: When you want a calm moment, or before a story. It’s a song you can sing slowly.
What to say before you start: “The egg is rolling. What’s going to hatch?”
Basic movements: Show the egg with a gentle stroking motion, then use your hands to show it changing into a chick and then a chicken.
(Source: The fingerplay song Korokoro Tamago becomes a picture book — ReseMom (Japanese))
(Source: A list of fingerplays that draw children in — Hoikurashi (Japanese))
Ways to make it easier: When the egg changes form, make your movements larger and slower so the change comes across. It’s fine if some children join in with only the stroking motion.
When you finish: Connect it to what’s next: “The egg turned into a chicken! There’s an egg in today’s story, too.”
11. Obentobako no Uta (“The Lunchbox Song” / おべんとうばこのうた)
When to use it: Before lunch, or when talking about an upcoming outing.
What to say before you start: “What shall we put in our bento box?”
Basic movements: Draw the shape of a bento box with your fingers, pretend to shape a rice ball, then pack in foods by matching each one to a number of fingers. You can also repeat the song with a small bento and a big bento, changing the size of the movements.
(Source: 59 recommended fingerplay songs for childcare — Hoiku-is (Japanese))
Ways to make it easier: The finger shapes for the foods are fiddly, so it’s fine for children to just watch and enjoy them. Start together with the bigger movements, like drawing the box and shaping the rice ball.
When you finish: Move on to getting ready to eat: “That looks like a tasty bento. Let’s go wash our hands.”
12. Panda Usagi Koala (“Panda, Rabbit, Koala” / パンダうさぎコアラ)
When to use it: During waiting time or between activities during group time.
What to say before you start: “Three animals are coming. Can you guess which ones?”
Basic movements: For the panda, make circles in front of your eyes. For the rabbit, hold your hands up on top of your head. For the koala, curve your arms in front of you as if giving a big hug. Because your hands go to a different place for each animal, the song gets harder as the tempo speeds up.
(Source: Popular fingerplay songs for kids — RAG MusicHoiku (Japanese))
Ways to make it easier: Sing slowly at first, and wait until children have finished moving before going on to the next animal.
When you finish: Ask, “Can you use your hands to make another animal?” to lead into the next round of play.
3 Songs for Autumn and Winter Group Time
Autumn and winter themes connect easily to seasonal conversations and the start of events. Even when you use them for an event, build on songs children already know rather than teaching a new one all at once.
13. Ookina Kuri no Ki no Shita de (“Under the Big Chestnut Tree” / おおきなくりのきのしたで)
When to use it: Autumn group time, or when talking about acorns and chestnuts.
What to say before you start: “Let’s play under a big tree. Can you stretch your arms out wide?”
Basic movements: Raise both arms from your sides up over your head and touch your fingertips together to make a tree. Then place your hands on your head, your shoulders, and so on.
(Source: Ookina Kuri no Ki no Shita de — Mama Lisa’s World)
Ways to make it easier: The arm movements are big, so leave enough space between children before you start. Children can also stay seated and keep their arm movements smaller.
When you finish: Lead into outdoor time or a seasonal topic: “What kinds of trees will we see on our walk today?”
14. Yakiimo Guu Chii Paa (“Roasted Sweet Potato Rock-Paper-Scissors” / やきいもグーチーパー)
When to use it: Autumn and winter group time, or when talking about roasted sweet potatoes (yakiimo).
What to say before you start: “Here’s a piping-hot sweet potato. We’ll play rock-paper-scissors at the end, too.”
Basic movements: The rock shape shows a hungry tummy, scissors shows how hot the sweet potato is, and paper shows that it’s all eaten up. The song ends with a round of janken.
(Source: Popular fingerplay songs for kids — RAG MusicHoiku (Japanese))
Ways to make it easier: Some children don’t yet understand who wins and who loses. To make it easier for everyone to join in, end with “Everyone made a shape!” instead of deciding winners, or have children play janken only with you.
When you finish: Before moving on, invite children to show their hand shapes: “Can you show me what you made?”
15. Kira Kira Boshi (“Twinkling Star” / きらきらぼし)
When to use it: Winter group time or the start of an event. It’s sung to the same melody as “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”
What to say before you start: “Let’s make stars in the sky with our hands.”
Basic movements: Open and close your hands to make twinkling stars. Because the movements are simple, the song is described as suitable for infant classes through preschool classes.
(Source: Popular fingerplay and action songs for kids — RAG MusicHoiku (Japanese))
Ways to make it easier: If keeping the arms raised is hard, opening and closing the hands in front of the chest is fine.
When you finish: Announce the start of the event: “The stars were beautiful. Today is our Christmas party!”
If you’d like more seasonal songs to open a Christmas party, see this article as well (in Japanese).
What If the Movements Are Hard or a Child Doesn’t Join In?
If movements don’t line up, there’s no need to make children start over right away. Adjust your speed and explanations, and look for a way each child can take part.
The Hoikusho Hoiku Shishin, Japan’s national guidelines for licensed daycare centers, emphasize children expressing themselves in their own way and taking part in activities on their own initiative. With fingerplays, too, it’s easier to adjust how you run them when you focus on whether each child is enjoying it, rather than on everyone doing the same movement.
(Source: Hoikusho Hoiku Shishin (national guidelines for daycare centers) — Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japanese))
When Finger Shapes or Changing Movements Are Difficult
Instead of deciding “3-year-olds should be able to do this,” accept each child’s own version of the shape as taking part. For songs that move one finger at a time, you can offer a simpler movement using the whole hand.
The tricky spots differ from song to song. Check “Ways to make it easier” in the quick guide and choose one approach before you start, so you’re not caught off guard in the moment.
When a Child Only Watches or Wanders Off
Watching and enjoying is one way of taking part. That said, children watch for many different reasons: they may be getting a feel for the song, they may be tired, or they may be interested in something else.
It’s fine to invite a child gently once: “Want to do it together?” What to avoid is continuing to push a child to join after they’ve said no, or judging children by whether or not they took part.
You can also adjust the activity itself.
- Volume: If it’s too loud, that alone can make some children move away
- Visibility: Check that children are sitting where they can see your hands
- Length: Try fewer repetitions and finish sooner
How a child responds to fingerplays alone can’t tell you whether there’s a developmental concern. If you have ongoing concerns, talk with your child’s teacher, or, if you work in childcare, with your colleagues, and consider the child’s participation across everyday activities.
When You Want to Lead into the Next Activity
Telling children what will happen before you start, and naming the next activity right after you finish, helps them know what to expect. Here are some examples.
- Before you start: “After our song, we’ll read a story.”
- When you finish: “Hands on knees. Now it’s story time.”
Doing a fingerplay doesn’t guarantee that children will quiet down or that everyone will focus. Change the song, or how long you play, to suit how the children are that day.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fingerplays for 3-Year-Olds
- Q. If we’re just starting out, which song should we choose?
- Songs with only a few movements, such as opening and closing the hands, are easier to begin with. Among these 15 songs, Musunde Hiraite and Kira Kira Boshi are easy starting points.
- Q. How many minutes should one song last?
- There’s no set time. It depends on the length of the song, how many times you repeat it, and how the children are doing. Start by doing it once, and if the children are enjoying it, do it again.
- Q. What should I do if a child can’t make the finger shapes?
- Focus on the fact that they’re taking part, rather than on getting the shape right. Show the hard parts slowly, or offer a simpler movement using the whole hand.
- Q. Is it OK for a child to just watch without singing?
- Yes. Watching and enjoying is one way of taking part. After inviting a child gently once, focus on keeping the atmosphere fun.
- Q. Can parents and children enjoy these at home on their own?
- Yes. At home, sitting face to face makes it easy for your child to see your hands. Try them when you’re moving from one part of the day to the next, such as before meals or before bath time.
Pick a moment when you’d like to use a song next, and choose one from the quick guide. Start by checking the movements yourself in the reference video, then try it at a pace that suits your child.
We also have guides to fingerplays for other ages (in Japanese).
