Nursery rhymes and children's songs on recorder

24 free nursery rhymes and children's songs on recorder, sorted from easiest to hardest. Start with Hot Cross Buns, which uses 3 notes. Most use five or six notes, which makes them the quickest way to play real tunes in your first weeks. Every song has letter notes with a fingering under each note, sheet music you can play along with, and a tip for its hardest bar.

First three notes

Songs that use only B, A and G.

Hot Cross Buns3 notes: B, A, G

Left hand only

B, A and G plus high C and high D. Your right hand only steadies the recorder.

Rain, Rain, Go Away3 notes: A, C′, D′Mary Had a Little Lamb4 notes: B, A, G, D′Go Tell Aunt Rhody5 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′Lightly Row5 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′

Both hands

The right hand joins for low D, E and F♯. No thumb pinch yet.

Ring Around the Rosie4 notes: B, A, F♯, D Hush, Little Baby5 notes: B, A, G, C′, D Old MacDonald Had a Farm5 notes: B, A, G, E, D London Bridge Is Falling Down6 notes: B, A, G, F♯, E, D Pop Goes the Weasel6 notes: B, A, G, F♯, E, D Row, Row, Row Your Boat6 notes: A, G, D′, F♯, E, D Skip to My Lou6 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, F♯The Itsy Bitsy Spider6 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, D The Muffin Man6 notes: B, A, G, F♯, E, D This Old Man6 notes: B, A, G, F♯, E, D Twinkle Twinkle Little Star6 notes: B, A, G, F♯, E, D Bingo7 notes: B, A, G, C′, F♯, E, D Brahms' Lullaby8 notes: B, A, G, D′, F♯, E, D, C♯′Happy Birthday to You8 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, F♯, E, D Hickory Dickory Dock8 notes: B, A, G, D′, F♯, E, D, C♯′Three Blind Mice8 notes: B, A, G, D′, F♯, E, D, C♯′

Thumb pinch

High E, F♯ and G, which need a pinched thumb hole.

Frère Jacques7 notes: B, A, G, C′, D′, D, E′Rock-a-bye Baby9 notes: B, A, G, D′, F♯, E′, G′, C♯′, F♯′Humpty Dumpty10 notes: B, A, G, D′, F♯, E, E′, G′, C♯′, F♯′

More: Christmas recorder songs · Classical music · Folk songs · Anthems and patriotic songs · Medieval and Renaissance music · Hymns · all songs