Why the Alphabet Song Doesn’t Work (And What to Do Instead)
For generations, parents and teachers have used the ABC song as the gold standard for teaching young children the alphabet. It’s catchy, it’s familiar, and, let’s be honest, it’s saved many a panicked parent in the middle of a “What comes after Q?” moment.
But here’s the problem: The alphabet song doesn’t actually teach letter recognition or phonics, which are the skills kids actually need to become successful readers.
While the song can help children memorize letter order, it doesn’t teach them:
What each letter looks like
What each letter sounds like
How letters work together to form words
By the time children enter Pre-K, they should already be familiar with letter recognition and letter sounds, and yes, even beginning to blend them together. This is why these skills should be developed during the 3’s class (before Pre-K), not during Pre-K itself.
So, let’s break down why the alphabet song falls short and what we should be doing instead.
Why the Alphabet Song Doesn’t Work
It teaches letter order, not letter recognition
The alphabet song teaches kids that “A comes first, Z comes last,” but knowing the order of letters doesn’t mean they know what the letter are. A child might be able to sing from A to Z without hesitation, but if you hold up the letter R and ask “What letter is this?” They may have no idea.
2. “LMNOP” is a Disaster
One of the biggest flaws in the alphabet song is that dreaded “LMNOP” section, where five distinct letters blend into one indecipherable sound. Many kids think “elemenopee” is a single letter, and by the time they figure out it’s not, they’ve already built bad habits around letter recognition.
3. It Doesn’t Teach Letter Sounds (Which matter more!)
Letter sounds, not letter names, are what actually help children read. A child who recognizes “B” as “Buh” can begin decoding words like bat, big, and bug, but a child who only knows the letter name “bee” won’t automatically connect it to a word.
4. It Creates False Sense of Mastery
Parents and even some educators assume a child knows their letters if they can sing the song. But reciting a sequence isn’t the same as identifying letters in different context. A child who sings “A-B-C” perfectly may still struggle to find the letter A on a page.
5. It’s a Passive Learning Strategy
The alphabet song is rote memorization, but early literacy should be active. Kids need to see, touch, hear, and manipulate letters in different ways, not just repeat them in order.
What Kids Should Be Learning by the End of the 3’s Class
Instead of memorizing the alphabet song, children in a 3-year-old class (before Pre-K) should be working toward:
Recognizing uppercase letters
Recognizing the letters of their names
Learning letter sounds
Writing their first name in all capital letters
Beginning to string letter sounds together (early phonemic awareness)
By the time they enter Pre-K, they should already have these foundational skills so they can move on to:
Recognizing lowercase letters
Writing their name with one capital (and by the end of Pre-K all lowercase letters
Beginning CVC word blending (cat, dog, sun, etc.)
If these skills aren’t developed in the 3’s class, then Pre-K becomes a game of catch-up, leaving less time for reading comprehension, vocabulary development, and early writing skills.
What to Do Instead: Effective Letter Recognition and Phonics Strategies
Since the alphabet song isn’t cutting it, what should we be doing instead?
Teach letters in a meaningful order: Instead of teaching A to Z, start with letters that are most meaningful to the children (like the letters in their name), those that are easiest to recognize and write (like H, T, E) and have high utility in early words (M, S, B, D).
Focus on letter sounds from day one: Letter sounds should be taught at the same time as letter names, not as an afterthought. use songs and movements to reinforce sounds (“S” says ssss like a ssssnake sssslithering!). Play sound games like “Find something in the room that starts with B-buh-buh!”. Pictures cards are also a favorite with beginning sound cues (M - moon, S - sun).
Use multisensory learning: Preschoolers learn best when they see, hear, touch, and move. Instead of just showing flashcards, try tracing letters in sand, shaving cream or salt trays. Building letters with playdough is a great way to strengthen hand muscles while learning letters, this also works for pipe cleaners, and gluing wooden sticks help with fine motor development. Jumping mats on the floor while saying the letter sounds and using magnetic letters to match sounds with objects (B + 🏀 = B says ‘buy’ like ball).
Prioritize name writing: One of the first meaningful words a child can write is their own name, so teach them to write their name in call capital letters, eventually, in Pre-K, they’ll move to capital-first, lowercase following. When kids own their name, they gain confidence in letter formation and recognition.
Final Thoughts: Ditch the Song, Build the Skills
The alphabet song might be catchy, but it doesn’t teach kids to read. Letter recognition, letter sounds, and early writing skills should be developed before Pre-K, so students can be ready to move on to lowercase letters, name writing, and blending sounds into words.
By replacing passive memorization with meaningful, hands-on literacy experiences, we give children the real tools they need for reading success. And if parents insist on the alphabet song? Fine, just make sure they’re practicing their letter sounds at the same time.
