In February 1916, Kosaku Yamada returned from his studies in Berlin and began to build his career and achievements as a Western music composer in Japan. His marriage to Ikuko Nagai, whom he married after his return (though without formal registration), ended when she returned to her family home. In November of the same year, Yamada married his childhood friend Kikuo Murakami (Isoyo Kawai), and in April of the following year, they had their first daughter, Misa.

On April 21, the same month his first daughter was born, Yamada composed the "Sonatine." The autograph manuscript cover of this work bears this date along with the inscription "Dedicated to Yoshiko-san (Yoshiko-san zugeeignet)." This "Yoshiko-san" refers to the daughter of Kosaku Yamada's elder sister, Nobuko Abe, making her Yamada's niece. However, 11 years after its composition, in September 1928, the first edition was published under the title "Kodomo no Sonata" (Children's Sonata), where it was stated to have been written for Yamada's eldest daughter and eldest son. Regardless of whether the dedicatee was his niece or his own children, it is clear from the musical content that the work was composed with the composer's educational intent. This three-movement work does not employ highly difficult techniques, and its harmony adheres to classical harmonic principles, making it suitable for developing a sense of harmony.