Alle meine Entchen — Free Piano Sheet Music for Kids, With a Play Button

The chords in this piece

Your left hand plays four chords in this piece. The shaded keys are the notes of each chord, and the numbers under them are the left-hand fingers (1 is the thumb). All four C-position shapes. G and G7 differ by one note: finger 2 on F instead of the thumb on G. All the common piano chords, with diagrams →

C C

C – E – G · Left hand 5 3 1

C, E and G: the home chord. Little finger on C, middle finger on E, thumb on G.

G G (C position)

B – D – G · Left hand 5 3 1

B, D and G. The same three notes as G major, rearranged so the hand barely moves: the little finger slides down one key from C to B.

F F (C position)

C – F – A · Left hand 5 2 1

C, F and A. The same three notes as F major, rearranged so the little finger stays on C; the thumb stretches up one key to A.

G7 G7 (C position)

B – D – F · Left hand 5 3 2

B, D and F: G7 without its bottom G. Little finger down to B, finger 3 on D, finger 2 on F.

About this arrangement

The German ducklings song, sung in German, and a perfect piece for the left hand to join in: the tune walks straight up the scale from C to G, then sits on A, the stretch note above the hand, for “schwim-men auf dem”. All crotchets and minims, nothing faster, and the thumb never leaves C. The left hand plays a chord on beats 1 and 3: C, F and G, with one G7.

Practice tip: Say “Al-le mei-ne” while you walk the first four fingers up the keys, one finger each. Then the little finger stretches to A and stays there for four notes.

The words

Alle meine Entchen schwimmen auf dem See, schwimmen auf dem See, Köpfchen in das Wasser, Schwänzchen in die Höh'.

A short history

“Alle meine Entchen” (“all my little ducks”) is one of the first songs German-speaking children learn. Its author and composer are unknown. It is sometimes credited to Ernst Anschütz, the Leipzig schoolteacher who wrote many children’s songs, but it is not in his songbook of 1824; the tune is probably from the middle of the 18th century, and the verse is first found in print in 1859.

The ducklings swim on the lake with their heads under the water and their tails in the air (“Köpfchen in das Wasser, Schwänzchen in die Höh’”). Later verses do the same for pigeons on the roof, hens in the straw and geese on the green, so it is also a counting and animal song.

Because it uses only six notes in a row, it is a standard first tune on the recorder and the piano in German schools, much as Hot Cross Buns is in English-speaking ones.

Quick facts

Tune: Traditional (German, 19th century)
Key: C major, C position
Time signature: 4/4
Length: 10 bars
Tempo: Brightly, crotchet = 116
Difficulty: Level 2: Left-hand chords (piece 11 of 201)
Type: Children's song
Hands: Both: melody in the right hand, chords in the left
Chords: C, G, F and G7 (diagrams above)
Copyright: Public domain tune; arrangement by Digital Greenhouse, free for personal and classroom use

Questions and answers

What key is Alle meine Entchen in?

C major, in 4/4 time. There are no sharps or flats in the key signature.

How long is it?

C major, 4/4, 10 bars. The tempo marking is Brightly, crotchet = 116.

Is Alle meine Entchen out of copyright?

Yes. The tune is traditional (German, 19th century). Our piano arrangement is free for personal and classroom use.

What is the hardest part?

Say “Al-le mei-ne” while you walk the first four fingers up the keys, one finger each. Then the little finger stretches to A and stays there for four notes.

Can I print it?

Yes. Press Print above to put this piece on its own page, or choose Save as PDF as the printer for a file. It prints on A4 paper; if yours is US Letter, choose US Letter in the box beside Print. The notes are the same size as a printed music book.

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