Peter and the Wolf instruments: which instrument plays each character

Peter and the Wolf gives every character its own instrument. A child who learns the sounds can follow the whole story without watching a screen. This guide lists who plays whom, describes what each sound is like, and offers ways to practice listening.

Sergei Prokofiev wrote the piece in 1936 for a children’s theater in Moscow. A narrator tells the story while the orchestra plays the characters. If you want a wider plan for starting kids on classical music, read how to introduce kids to classical music.

Who plays each character

Peter: the string instruments. Violins, violas, cellos, and basses play Peter’s tune. It is bright and bouncy. It returns many times, so kids learn it fast.

The bird: flute. The flute plays high and quick. The notes flutter, which sounds like a small bird hopping and flying.

The duck: oboe. The oboe has a nasal, reedy tone. It plays a slow, waddling tune. Many kids say it sounds like a quack.

The cat: clarinet. The clarinet plays low and smooth, with soft, light notes. It sounds like a cat creeping along.

The grandfather: bassoon. The bassoon is deep and grumbly. It plays a slow, gruff tune that fits a grandfather who scolds Peter for going out alone.

The wolf: French horns. Three horns play the wolf. The sound is dark and rough. When the wolf arrives, the mood of the music changes at once.

The hunters: woodwinds and drums. The hunters march in with a woodwind tune. The timpani and bass drum play the gunshots.

How the story goes

Knowing the plot helps a child listen for the right instrument at the right time.

Peter leaves the garden gate open and walks into the meadow. A bird sits in a tree. A duck swims in the pond. The bird and the duck argue about which of them is the better bird. The cat creeps toward them, and the bird flies up to a branch.

Peter’s grandfather comes out, scolds Peter, and takes him back inside. He shuts the gate. Then the wolf comes out of the forest. The cat climbs a tree. The duck jumps out of the pond, and the wolf catches it.

Peter gets a rope and climbs the garden wall onto a tree. He asks the bird to fly around the wolf’s head to distract it. Peter lowers a loop of rope and catches the wolf by the tail. The hunters arrive, and everyone marches the wolf to the zoo. In the original story, you can still hear the duck quacking inside the wolf at the end.

Some recordings change the ending, so the duck’s fate may differ from one version to the next.

How to listen with a child

Start with the instruments alone. Many recordings introduce each instrument before the story begins. If yours does, play that part first and give each character a few minutes. Do not rush to the story.

Then play the story in pieces. Pick one scene, such as the bird and duck argument, and stop when it ends. A full recording is long for a young child. Come back the next day for the next scene.

Say the instrument names as they play. “That is the oboe. That is the duck.” Kids pick up the names by hearing them paired with the sound many times.

Games that build listening

Raise your hand. Ask the child to raise a hand each time the flute plays. Switch to the horns or the bassoon on the next listen.

Act it out. Flap arms for the bird. Waddle for the duck. Tiptoe for the cat. Stomp with a grumpy face for the grandfather. Crouch low and growl for the wolf. Kids use their whole bodies, and that keeps them focused.

Name that character. Play a short clip with the narrator turned down or skipped, and ask which character it is. Start with the easy ones. The flute and the horns are the easiest to tell apart.

Draw the scene. Give the child paper and crayons. Play one scene and ask for a picture. Ask which instrument played each part of the picture.

Make the instruments at home. Use a pot for the drum and a cardboard tube for the horn. A kazoo can stand in for the oboe or the clarinet. The sounds will not match, but the child will think about what makes each instrument different.

What to do about the wolf

The wolf scene can scare young children. If a child looks worried, pause and talk about it. Remind the child that Peter and the bird catch the wolf and the hunters take it to the zoo.

Another option is to play the wolf’s music on its own first, before the story. Kids who hear it with no danger attached often find it less scary. Then they can try the scene again with the narrator.

Pick a recording that fits the child

Recordings vary. Some have a narrator who speaks in a calm voice, and some have a livelier one. Some recordings include an introduction to the instruments, and others start the story right away. Listen to a minute or two first and pick the one that suits your child’s age.

A child who is learning to follow a story needs a clear narrator. A child who already knows the plot can enjoy a version with no narration at all and just listen to the music.

What to try next

Kids who enjoy matching instruments to characters often like Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns, where each short movement is a different animal. For a child who asks what each instrument is called, try The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra by Benjamin Britten. It introduces each instrument family in turn.