RAG MusicPiano
A web magazine to help you enjoy the piano even more

[For Kids] Play Piano with One Finger! Recommended Songs Collection

Playing the piano is demanding and difficult—you’re asked to use both hands and your feet on the pedals, which gets pretty complex.

But that’s only because such instructions are written in the sheet music.

It’s perfectly fine to play the piano with one hand, or even with a single finger! One of the piano’s advantages is that even just playing the melody with one finger lets you enjoy a bit of the piece’s charm.

In this article, we introduce recommended songs that “can be played with one finger,” aimed at young children so they can start by simply having fun with the piano.

Of course, adults who want to give the piano a try are welcome to use this as a guide as well.

And if you have some piano experience, it can be great fun for parent and child to play a duet—have your child play the melody while you provide the accompaniment!

[For Kids] Play the Piano with One Finger! Recommended Songs (41–50)

hometownOkanoteiichi

[Free Sheet Music] Furusato - Easy Score with Do-Re-Mi Notation
hometownOkanoteiichi

Let me introduce a beloved Japanese classic you can play even with just one finger.

The composer, Teiichi Okano, was born in 1878 in Tottori Prefecture and grew up in poverty, yet he pursued a path in music and left behind many school songs.

This piece is a heartwarming work that sings of deep love and nostalgia for one’s hometown.

With its simple melody and familiar lyrics, it resonates deeply with the Japanese heart.

It’s in triple meter and doesn’t have a wide vocal range, so with a bit of practice even piano beginners should be able to play it quickly.

It’s recommended both for children who’ve just started piano and for adults who want to play a nostalgic tune.

If you play while singing along, practice will be even more enjoyable.

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When the Saints Go Marching Inamerika min’yō

[Easy] One-Finger Piano ~ When the Saints Go Marching In ♪
When the Saints Go Marching Inamerika min'yō

“When the Saints Go Marching In,” which appears in many beginner piano books, can be played using only the five notes from C to G.

Because of this, it’s often performed with each of the five fingers set on those keys, but it also plays smoothly with just one finger.

It’s only 16 measures long, yet its bold melody is very satisfying to play! If you repeat the piece an octave higher, it adds variety and makes the performance more interesting.

Once you’ve mastered the melody, try adding the left hand with a single finger to mark the beat—like ‘do-do-do-do’—to bring out more of the lively march-like feel.

yuri
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In conclusion

When you start playing the piano, the thrill of being able to play a favorite piece is the same for adults and children alike.

Unless you’re aiming to become a professional pianist, I don’t think there are strict rules like “you must do it this way,” and being able to enjoy the mood of a piece just by playing the melody is the biggest benefit of using a single finger.

Children full of curiosity might get excited just from making sounds.

And it’s not just for kids—if you’re an adult touching a piano for the first time, why not start by practicing with just one finger?