"Mary Had a Little Lamb" is a natural tune for beginning recorderists.  

It has a range of five notes, following a venerable guideline* that Grade fours 
should be able to play "G a b c d" on the recorder.  Also, there is no "c", 
making it even easier.  But most of all, the children already KNOW the
tune and enjoy being able to play it.

Rhythmically the tune features 20 quarter notes, 4 half notes and 1 whole note.  

Here is the tune written in letters:

b a G a b b b.

     a a a.
            
     b d d.

b a G a b b b.

     a a b a G...

(A dot after a letter gives the note an extra beat.)


*Note.  The new 2006 curriculum guideline now recommends Grade 4s learn "D E G a b c".