{"id":4651,"date":"2020-09-20T20:09:17","date_gmt":"2020-09-21T01:09:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ww2.thejamcatsmusic.com\/morriscounty\/?p=4651"},"modified":"2021-02-10T11:14:07","modified_gmt":"2021-02-10T16:14:07","slug":"songs-for-each-letter-of-the-alphabet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thejamcatsmusic.com\/morriscounty\/blog\/2020\/09\/20\/songs-for-each-letter-of-the-alphabet\/","title":{"rendered":"Songs for Each Letter of the Alphabet"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"The 2020-2021 school year is an obvious shift from what everyone\u2019s vision of a traditional school year. My youngest was \u201csupposed\u201d to go to our local preschool this year, but plans sure did change! As a result, we decided to continue some sort of education at home and I\u2019ve drawn up some plans to teach a modified preschool curriculum at home. Music is so important to us and I wholeheartedly believe in the power of music in education, so it was important to me to incorporate that as a cornerstone in our educational approach. So, I created a list of songs for each letter of the alphabet!<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve found several songs over the years that highlight phonics and individual letters, as well as the entire alphabet. I use those, too. But sometimes, we just need to hear songs that use the letter and letter sounds.\u00a0 Home and virtual learning is HARD. I hope this list can help guide you through your journey as your young ones learn letters!<\/p>\n

Letter List<\/h2>\n

* A<\/strong> \u2014 Apples and Bananas
\nThis is a good one because if you start the alphabet in September (in alphabetical order), you can land \u201cA\u201d with an \u201cApples\u201d unit. It also introduces long vowel sounds.
\nThis<\/a> is an old Barney video that personally sends me on a nostalgic journey to my younger years.<\/p>\n

* B<\/strong> \u2014 Baby Beluga
\nThe alteration helps drive the \u201cB\u201d sound home. B<\/u>aby B<\/u>eluga in the deep b<\/u>lue sea\u2026
\nCheck out Mr. Zack playing Baby Beluga here<\/a>!<\/p>\n

* C<\/strong> \u2014 C is for Cookie
\nA c<\/u>lassic. Who doesn\u2019t love Cookie Monster?
\nCookie<\/a> cookie cookie!<\/p>\n

* D<\/strong> \u2014 Down by the Bay
\nThis one is always so silly and will also help reinforce rhyming.
\nHere\u2019s<\/a> Mr. DJ playing it!<\/p>\n

* E<\/strong> \u2014 Elephant Steps
\nE for elephant is a popular connection. Add in some giant elephant stomps for some gross-motor, too!
\nStomp stomp, check it out here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

* F<\/strong> \u2014 Five Green and Speckled Frogs
\nThis is a favorite in our house and uses easy and natural alliteration for the f<\/u>ive f<\/u>rogs. When counting, you can also point out that f<\/u>ive and f<\/u>our also start with \u201cf.\u201d
\nMr. DJ loves his green frogs, too, except his surf<\/a>.<\/p>\n

* G<\/strong> \u2014 Green Grass Grows All Around
\nI love this song, and if you\u2019re spending the week using this song, it\u2019s helpful to draw out each verse to point to at the right part of the song. The visual definitely makes it easier to remember everything that happens in the woods.
\nFor some more 90s flashbacks, here\u2019s<\/a> Jewel\u2019s version.<\/p>\n

* H<\/strong> \u2014 Happy Tappin\u2019 With Elmo
\n\u201cH\u201d and \u201chappy\u201d are another easy and logical connection. You can also supplement with \u201cHappy and you Know It,\u201d but \u201cHappy Tappin\u2019\u2026\u201d is good for when you want some free movement to dance.
\nThis one<\/a> is titled \u201cElmo\u2019s Debut,\u201d but his debut is the song, which starts at about :30.<\/p>\n

* I<\/strong> \u2014 I Love the Mountains
\nIf you feel up to it, you can also make this song into a fun round where person 1 starts singing from the beginning when person 2 finishes the line \u201c\u2026rolling hills.\u201d
\nYou can also opt to sing a round with this video<\/a>.<\/p>\n

* J<\/strong> \u2014 Jack and Jill
\nA classic nursery rhyme with more helpful alliteration.
\nLisa Loeb did some great children\u2019s\u2019 song covers, including this<\/a>.<\/p>\n

* K<\/strong> \u2014 Kangaroo Song
\nKangaroo\u2019s are such a unique animal. This song is an easy melody that will help reinforce the \u201ck\u201d sound.
\nEveryone can dance<\/a>, too!<\/p>\n

* L<\/strong> \u2014 Ladybugs\u2019 Picnic
\nI can\u2019t pinpoint exactly why, but this song is one of my favorites. Bonus, it helps with counting!
\n12 ladybugs<\/a> came to the ladybug’s picnic.<\/p>\n

* M<\/strong> \u2014 Muffin Man
\nMore classic nursery and alliteration. Not featured is the Shrek memories.
\nBut he still lives on Drury Lane<\/a>!<\/p>\n

* N<\/strong> \u2014 No No No
\nApologies in advance if your child starts walking around proclaiming \u201cno\u201d at every request you make.
\nSing it<\/a>, Oscar.<\/p>\n

* O<\/strong> \u2014 Open Shut Them
\nThere are a few different versions of this song, but I like it because it opens with a long \u201cO\u201d (that can be exaggerated during teaching) and connects the song to fine and gross motor movements, manners, and opposites.
\nThis video<\/a> helps with the movements.<\/p>\n

* P<\/strong> \u2014 POP Goes the Weasel
\nPOP! This one definitely reinforces the \u201cP\u201d sound. You can also exaggerate the \u201cp\u201d in \u201cpenny.\u201d
\nLisa Loeb does a very nice, basic version<\/a> of this song.\u00a0 She also does speaks \u201cPeter Piper\u201d on this album, so if you\u2019re up to it\u2026<\/p>\n

* Q<\/strong> \u2014 Que Sera Sera
\nOK, I\u2019ll admit it. Q was a tough one and this one seems a bit of a stretch. But if Spanish language education is in your lesson, this is doubly helpful.
\nIt was used in The Muppets, but here is Doris Day\u2019s original<\/a>.<\/p>\n

* R<\/strong> \u2014 Rubber Duckie
\n* Ernie laugh* Need I say more?
\nBo-Bo-Bo-Di-Oh<\/a><\/p>\n

* S<\/strong> \u2014 A Sailor Went to See See See
\nTo add some movement to this song, stand or sit (opposite whatever you\u2019re doing) each time you hear an \u201cs\u201d word (This also works for the song \u201cMy Bonnie\u201d with the \u201cb\u201d words). It makes for a lot of ups, downs, and giggles.
\nHere\u2019s<\/a> The Kiboomers singing their version!<\/p>\n

* T<\/strong> \u2014 Tooty Ta
\n\u201cTooty Ta\u201d has a fun little dance with it and does a great job driving home that hard \u201ct\u201d sound. Dr. Jean does a great job, but I know there a few other versions out there.
\nSee Dr. Jean\u2019s dance here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

* U<\/strong> \u2014 Umbrella
\nThis is a good one for a rainy day for its obvious theme. It showcases an umbrella with that short \u201cu\u201d sound.
\nThis one<\/a> is by one of our favorites, The Laurie Berkner Band.<\/p>\n

* V<\/strong> \u2014 Victor Vito
\nI really tried not to go back to back on this list, but Victor Vito is such a fun Laurie Berkner one that showcases the V sound TWICE. Yes, you guessed it, I love my alliteration when teaching letter sounds.
\nApologies in advance for all of the food cravings this<\/a> may bring on.<\/p>\n

* W<\/strong> \u2014 Willoughby Wallaby Woo
\nMade popular by Raffi and The Wiggles, this is a fun way to incorporate the names of family and friends that your children may be missing right now.
\nMr. DJ did a fun version here<\/a>!<\/p>\n

* X<\/strong> \u2014 What does the FoX Say?
\nThis one was another near impossible one. There are few songs about X-Rays and the default word \u201cxylophone\u201d doesn\u2019t actually make an \u201cx\u201d sound. I teach the letter \u201cx\u201d by using words that end in X, such as \u201cbox\u201d or \u201cfox.\u201d So naturally, we wonder we wonder what the fox says. FYI, if you don\u2019t know what the fox says, it\u2019s nothing like the song says. It\u2019s really quite terrifying.
\nIf you\u2019d like a choreographed dance with it, check this<\/a> Just Dance<\/em> video out.<\/p>\n

* Y<\/strong> \u2014 Yakety Yak
\nMy kids always giggle with the \u201cdon\u2019t talk back!\u201d line. Yakety and yak are each silly words (if a word at all)
\nFor my fellow 90s parents, I hope you appreciate the Tiny Toons throwback<\/a>!<\/p>\n

* Z<\/strong> \u2014 Zoom Zoom Zoom
\nIt may sound like virtual meeting after virtual meeting, but this is a fun one for your little astronauts!
\nThis one<\/a> is by The Kiboomers.<\/p>\n

Be sure to check out the Jam Cats videos here<\/a>. We do several of these songs, as well as a few more that can be helpful additions!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The 2020-2021 school year is an obvious shift from what everyone\u2019s vision of a traditional school year. My youngest was \u201csupposed\u201d to go to our local preschool this year, but…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":4654,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[65,66,34,64],"class_list":{"0":"post-4651","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-song-lists","8":"tag-alphabet","9":"tag-letter-songs","10":"tag-music","11":"tag-preschool"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejamcatsmusic.com\/morriscounty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejamcatsmusic.com\/morriscounty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejamcatsmusic.com\/morriscounty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejamcatsmusic.com\/morriscounty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejamcatsmusic.com\/morriscounty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4651"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/thejamcatsmusic.com\/morriscounty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4651\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4658,"href":"https:\/\/thejamcatsmusic.com\/morriscounty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4651\/revisions\/4658"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejamcatsmusic.com\/morriscounty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejamcatsmusic.com\/morriscounty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejamcatsmusic.com\/morriscounty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejamcatsmusic.com\/morriscounty\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}