ABC Song (Alphabet Song)

A B C D E F G,
H I J K L M N O P,
Q R S, T U V,
W X, Y and Z.
Now I know my ABCs,
Next time won't you sing with me?

The melody most children know as the Alphabet Song was published in the United States by Charles Bradlee in 1835, set to the same tune later used for "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and "Baa Baa Black Sheep." It's designed for preschool-age children, roughly 2-6, right around when most kids start recognizing individual letters. Setting the 26 letters to a familiar, singable melody breaks a long, abstract sequence into manageable musical chunks, and early-childhood educators often point to this kind of chunking as a key reason letter-name knowledge sticks faster through song than through rote recitation alone. Because the tune is shared with other well-known nursery songs, children often transfer the rhythm and phrasing they already know, making the letters easier to absorb. Nearly two centuries after its publication, it remains the default starting point for alphabet instruction in homes and classrooms across the English-speaking world, a rare case of a 19th-century tune still doing exactly the job it was written for. Learn more in this guide to learning the alphabet through songs.

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