Children's songs: The alphabet song

Before the song

Check that children know the names of the letters – it is relatively easy to ‘learn’ the alphabet without connecting the name of the letter to the letter or sound, but children should be able to match the name of the letter to the letter and know the sound it corresponds to (phonics).

• Show letters and get children to say the name of the letter
• Say the letter and get children to make the shape of the letter in the air with their writing arm (left-handed children to do it with their left arm)
• Say the letter and children try to make their body take the shape of the letter – great physical fun and can be done in pairs (fits Multiple Intelligence Theory too)
• Letter dictation - say the letter and children write it on paper – they can also do this activity in pairs. For children who have already begun spelling words, you can also dictate a set of words e.g. C - A - T and then ask the children to tell you what it says
• Pretend to write the letter on a child’s hand or back and they have to say what letter it is without looking – also good to do in pairs
• Play ‘I SPY’ – Look around the room and say ‘I spy with my little eye something beginning with ‘B’ and children have to guess what you are referring to – could be book, board, blue etc 

During the song

• Children can learn the song and sing along
• Children can listen and do the actions
• They can sing and do the actions together

All songs and song lyrics © Kathryn Harper and John Cornish.