Singing alphabet songs is probably one of the first early literacy activities most children will encounter, aside from nursery rhymes. They’re an easy, and fun, way to increase kids’ alphabetical awareness. Check out some of my favorite ABC sing-alongs below!
Related: Sorting Magnetic Letters
I am very partial to Dr. Jean, Jack Hartmann, and They Might Be Giants (among many other amazing artists).
In addition to their songs, I found a variety of other alphabet-themed music for your (kids’) entertainment. Get the kiddos dancing and singing as they’re learning about letters!
Why are alphabet songs important to the letter learning process? Well, I’m glad you asked! 🙂
The most important reason is that they are a FUN way to reinforce letter names, alphabetical order, letter sounds, etc. Children love to sing and dance, so why not run with that love of music when teaching letters?!
Many of these songs incorporate physical movements, too. Children learn in many different ways, and movement is part of that.
It gets their bodies moving, giving them a different memory to associate with letters. It also makes it a little different, and people inherently remember unique experiences.
Now, onto the “alphabet playlist”!
Alphabet Songs for Preschool and Kindergarten
Below, you’ll find a variety of ABC songs to use with your students (or your own children).
I’ve included some videos, as well as links to where you can grab the songs online.
When possible, I’ve linked directly to each song. If that wasn’t possible, then I linked to the album.
Related: Alphabet Activities
Videos of Alphabet Songs for Kids
As I already mentioned, some of the songs have corresponding videos.
Here’s where you’ll find them! Many of these alphabet songs are those that I have used with preschool and kindergarten kids over and over (and over!) again.
ABC Songs from Dr. Jean
Let’s “kick” things off with Dr. Jean’s “ABC Kick Box.”
“Letter Pops” is another favorite from Dr. Jean. This video shows a live action version of it with kids.
“Alphabet Forwards and Backwards” is another fun one for the children.
Dr. Jean has a lot of fun alphabet songs for preschool and kindergarten kids! Be sure to check out more of her songs to sing with the kids. They’re always a hit!
ABC Preschool Songs from Jack Hartmann
Jack Hartmann is another favorite children’s musician! His songs grab the kids’ attention and keeps them engaged.
He has a ton of songs to help teach the ABCs. I’m just going to share a few below.
Here’s his “ABC Disco” song. Don’t let the disco scare you . . . the kids have way too much fun with it!
Next up, check out Jack Hartmann’s “Learning Letter Sounds.”
“Vowel Sound Samba” is perfect when you’re teaching the kids about vowels.
“Hands Up for Letter Sounds” should definitely be on your list of alphabet songs for kids.
Related: Early Literacy Activities
Nancy Kopman’s Alphabet Songs for Preschool
Nancy Kopman is definitely a favorite when it comes to songs young children LOVE!
Here are a couple of her ABC songs.
“The Backwards Alphabet” is a sweet and simple song the kids love.
And we can’t forget about Nancy Kopman’s “The Vowels.”
Related: Apple ABCs
They Might Be Giants’ Songs About the Alphabet
I have to admit, I have a soft spot for They Might Be Giants. I’ve loved them since I was in middle school.
So when I saw they had released songs for children, I jumped at the chance to listen!
We’ll start with “Who Put the Alphabet in Alphabetical Order?”
Next up is “XYZ” from They Might Be Giants.
And here’s “The Alphabet of Nations” too!
A Few More ABC Videos for Kids
I just couldn’t resist! Here are four more alphabet videos to share with the kids.
Here is “Look at All the Letters” from one of my favorites, The Laurie Berkner Band.
“A is for Alex and Alligator” from Rachel Coleman includes sign language for the kids.
This one is “Alphabet Song” from Have Fun Singing.
Last up is Usher’s “ABC Song” from Sesame Street.
Even More Alphabet Songs for Kids
Here are some more letter songs to share with the children!
These songs don’t have videos, but I’ve linked to where you can listen to snippets of each of the songs.
Related: Alphabet Books for Preschoolers
“A, B, C, D, E” from Justin Roberts’ album “Great Big Sun.”
“Learning My Letters” from RTTs’ “Turn It Up Mommy.”
“ABCs of Me” from Milkshake’s “Bottle of Sunshine.”
“The Alphabet Swing” from Kim Mitzo Thompson’s “My First Playlist: Alphabet.”
“Abc” from Doc Possum’s “Pouch Music.”
“Alphabet Stew” from James K’s “Good Morning Sun Goodnight Moon.”
“Alphabet Rag” from Monty Harper’s “Imagine That.”
“The Alphabet Boogie” from Cathy Fink’s “When the Rain Comes Down.”
“Alphabet Song” from Johnny Bregar’s “Stomp Yer Feet.”
“Letters of the Alphabet” from Beth and Scott’s “Learn and Play.”
“ABC” from Baby Loves Jazz’s “Go Baby Go.”
I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Just for fun, you should also check out Barenaked Ladies’ song “Crazy ABCs” (from the CD “Snacktime!”). It’s all about words that don’t follow the usual letter sound rules. It was good for a laugh, but I wouldn’t use it when just beginning to teach young children about letters and their usual sounds!
What are your favorite kids’ alphabet songs? I’d love to add some more to this list, so please be sure to share them in the comments below!
There are a ton of alphabet ideas on my Alphabet Activities Pinterest board, too.
Music and Movement Tools
Singing and dancing is such a fun way to get students interested and engaged in learning. These types of experiences are especially important in the winter when the weather might limit your classroom’s time outdoors.
Music and movement tools are a great way to keep the kids active during the winter months. Adding these novel materials is the perfect way to expand on the winter song and dance activities while also adding some extra excitement for the kids.
So, I’ve created a list of some of those tools that will be a great addition to your preschool song and dance routines. I think you’ll find that they’re great for the wintertime, but can be used all year long!
Please note that I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
- Musical egg shakers
- Rain sticks
- Jingle bell bracelets
- Handbells
- Rhythm Sticks
- Movement scarves
- Bean bags
- Spot markers
- Finger castanets
- Tambourines
- Finger cymbals
- Wrist ribbons
- Plastic cones
Not only are these products great additions to song and dance, but they’re also great tools to use to teach various skills like gross motor skills, following directions, and cooperative play, among other things. Check out some of my favorite classroom products below:
More Alphabet Fun for the Kids
These alphabet mats are perfect for young kids to use as they explore their ABCs. The mats can be laminated and used with play dough, dry erase markers, etc. They’re also a great base for a wide variety of art, craft, and literacy projects. This 150+ page pack comes with printable letter mats, ideas for using the mats, process art ideas, and collage/texture art ideas.
Grab the ABC letter mats from Preschool Teacher 101
Also available at Home Preschool 101 and Teachers Pay Teachers
Originally published July 18, 2013.
Signing Time! also has a video and cd with ABC songs. One is called A is for Alex and alligator and LMNO.
Thanks for the song suggestions, Laura! I love the inclusion of signing the alphabet. I need to add that to my ABC songs later on today! 🙂
Great resource! Thanks for compiling and sharing these!
Thanks, Ann! I had fun going through my playlists and picking out songs just for the alphabet. I played all of the songs for Little Hurricane and he got such a kick out of them! 🙂
Wonderful resource indeed!
Thank you so much, Varya!
What a list!! I love this. Music is such a powerful way to learn and has been so effective in reinforcing concepts with my kids. Thanks for pulling this together. I’m featuring this post on the After School Linky Party this week. Stop by to check it out and share more of your great ideas and activities!
Thank you very much!! I had fun gathering the songs, and I know I’m going to keep that playlist handy when the new school year starts. I’m excited about the feature — thank you. 🙂
where can you find all of these- pandora? or purchase?
Hi Marlene! For most of the songs, the links should lead to where you can purchase the songs if you want to. I’ve picked some up from iTunes, Amazon, teacher supply stores, Barnes and Noble, and through individual artists’ sites. Just depends on your preference! 🙂
Jonathon Lithgow has a children’s cd called “Singing on the Bathtub.” It is highly underrated but we really enjoy it. He does a version of “A – you’re Adorable” that is my favorite alphabet song. We do like the they Might be Giants CDs, too.
How have I not listed to “Singing in the Bathtub” yet? Thanks for the suggestion! 🙂