Historical ballads refer to folk songs that tell historical figures or events in simple and catchy language, and are usually sung by adults to adults. Historical ballads have diverse themes, including military affairs, love, life, etc. Historical ballads in different regions are also different.
Nursery rhymes refer to songs specially written for children, which usually contain easy-to-learn lyrics and melodies, which are helpful to cultivate children's language and music abilities. Nursery rhymes also have diverse themes, such as animals, nature and family. The singing of nursery rhymes is mostly sung by children and parents, which is a part of family education and children's games.
Therefore, although historical ballads and nursery rhymes are both forms of folk literature and art, there are some differences in purpose, content and singing methods.