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[Children's Song] Easy for Piano Beginners! Introducing Songs with Simple Chords
A familiar nursery rhyme that everyone has sung at least once in childhood.
Nursery rhymes with simple melodies, easy-to-remember lyrics, and straightforward chords are perfect for beginner piano practice!
So this time, we’re introducing easy, playable nursery rhymes recommended for children who have just started piano lessons and adults who are beginning to learn on their own.
We’ve selected songs that meet these criteria: a relatively narrow vocal range, fewer notes in the melody, and simple chords.
Please give them a try!
[Children’s Song] Easy for Piano Beginners! Introducing Songs with Simple Chords (1–10)
butterflyGerman folk song
The children’s song “Butterfly,” a recital staple for kids who’ve just started learning piano.
Based on a German folk song, it features a catchy melody and simple chords, making it perfect for beginners’ practice.
Once you’ve practiced the melody and can play hands together with a left-hand bass, try adding broken chords or an arpeggiated accompaniment.
It’s also a great idea to transpose it into keys that use black keys—like D major or E major—to develop the feel for playing on the black keys.
Under the big chestnut treeBritish folk song
The children’s song “Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree,” also popular as a hand-play song, is a great choice for piano beginners thanks to its simple melody and easy chords! The melody stays within a single octave, and with a simple arrangement you can play it using just three chords, making it ideal not only for kids who have just started piano lessons but also for adult learners.
Experiencing the joy of playing a familiar tune with your own two hands will boost your motivation to sit down at the piano even more!
Song of the FrogGerman folk song
With its easy-to-remember melody that kids can start singing right away, “Kaeru no Uta” (The Frog Song) is a perfect nursery rhyme for beginner piano practice.
There are several possible chord progressions, but if you want to keep it as simple as possible, the entire piece can be played with just a single chord.
For example, in C major you can use only the C chord; even just adding the bass note C (“Do”) as half notes or whole notes completes a two-hand arrangement.
First, try starting with a single finger in the left hand and a simple pattern in the right hand!
Dog PolicemanMegumi Oonaka
Dog Policeman is a charming children’s song with lyrics that tell a cute story: a police dog, at his wits’ end while trying to help a lost kitten, struggles along while asking crows and sparrows for help.
The melody, which perfectly matches the lyrical world, is memorable.
Because both the melody and chords have considerable movement, it’s not exactly “super easy,” but it’s packed with important elements that piano beginners should master, such as spreading the fingers, playing precise, fine rhythms, and accurately hitting the black keys.
It might be a good idea to practice a few children’s songs and gain some experience playing with both hands before taking on this one.
The Bear of the ForestAmerican folk song
The children’s song “The Bear of the Forest” captures kids’ hearts with its charming melody and story-like lyrics.
Built on a melody playable within a single octave and a simple, easy-to-remember chord progression, it’s also recommended as a practice piece for piano beginners.
Plus, with five verses, the differing syllable counts slightly change the rhythm, letting you experience various rhythmic patterns in a single song.
Start by practicing the familiar first verse, and once you can play smoothly with both hands, try adjusting the melody’s rhythm to match the lyrics.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little StarFrench folk song
The French folk song “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” also known as the source for Mozart’s “Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman” (Twinkle Variations), is a quintessential piano piece that’s easy even for beginners to play! With a narrow range and few notes in the melody, it’s ideal for those just starting the piano.
Not only is the melody easy to remember, but its simple chord progression—built from just three chords—is another reason it’s popular as a practice piece and recital selection for beginners.
Mastering such a familiar tune is sure to boost your motivation to sit down at the piano.
Mountain MusiciansGerman folk song
The children’s song “Yama no Ongakuka” (The Mountain Musicians), based on a German folk tune, teaches the names of instruments and the characteristics of their sounds while you sing.
With its narrow range and many repeated phrases, it’s perfect for beginner piano practice and is indeed included in many piano method books.
It’s also very popular as a recital piece! At first, coordinating the bouncy right-hand rhythm with the accompaniment may be challenging, but since the piece uses only two chords, you should be able to master it smoothly with an arrangement of just bass notes and melody.
Gradually add chords and rhythms to express the animals enjoying their instruments.