36 Songs to Get Your Family Groove On | Kid-Friendly Dance Music Playlist (2024)

Music and Happiness

Music is magical. It can quickly change the atmosphere. The right music can boost your happiness levels. It can help make mundane tasks less monotonous and bring life to a party. It can get you up, moving, singing and enjoying life more.

Science shows that “when we 1) anticipate and then 2) actually experience a pleasurable response while listening to music, our brain reacts in distinct and specific ways to release the “feel-good” chemical dopamine.” Psychology Today

Music and Family

But in a family, it can be hard to agree on the same music, especially when there is a wide range of ages for the kids. I mean, my 3-year-old’s favorites, which are “The Wheels on the Bus” and “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”, make the teenagers in the house run for cover. Or at least to find their earbuds ASAP. And vice versa.

Thankfully, there’s a lot of great music out there and we’ve been able to find some common ground so we can enjoy music when we’re together as a family. We spent some time compiling a Kid-Friendly Dance Music Playlist as we sat around the table one night at dinner. We each took turns and played clips of songs we thought should make the list. Then we voted. The majority ruled so everything on this list has the “appropriate for kids” seal of approval* from me, and the “fun to listen to” seal of approval from at least 3 of the 5 kids.

(*I’m pretty conservative with what I consider appropriate. To the best of my knowledge, the lyrics of these songs aren’t crude or crass or immoral. BUT I generally DO NOT watch the music videos so I can’t vouch for those. I tried to use lyrics videos in this playlist when they were available. I usually just get the music going and switch to a different browser window so I can hear the music but I don’t have to have a favorite song of mine completely ruined by an awful video that I can never unsee.)

So from our family to yours, here are 36 of our favorite kid-friendly, danceable songs compiled into a convenient playlist. For those times when you need a little pick me up or a little extra oomph for:

• A summer pool party
• Getting ready in the mornings
• Cleaning the bathrooms
• Washing dishes
• Folding laundry
• Organizing closets
• Putting toys away
• Or just because

Kid-Friendly Dance Music Playlist

(The video link below will play the entire playlist. If you click the upper lefthand corner (3 lines and a little triangle icon), a drop-down menu will appear and you can skip to the songs you most want to hear.)

1. 1. The Champion – Carrie Underwood
   2. Happy – Pharrell Williams
   3. Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake (this is one music video I do like, so fun to see all different types of people dancing their hearts out.)
   4. Baby – Justin Bieber
   5. The Lion Sleeps Tonight – The Tokens
   6. Kidz Bop: Pompeii
   7. It’s a Beautiful Day – Jamie Grace
   8. It’s Always a Good Time – Owl City and Carly Rae Jepson
   9. Whip My Hair – Willow Smith
   10. Despicable Me – Pharrell Williams
   11. Kidz Bop Cups (when I’m gone)
   12. Rockin Robin – Bobby Day
   13. Top of the World – Imagine Dragons
   14. Kidz Bop Party in the USA,
   15. Better When I’m Dancing – Meghan Trainor
   16. A-B-C, Easy as 1-2-3 – ABCMouse.com
   17. Kidz Bop Shake it Off
   18. Firework – Katy Perry
   19. Kidz Bop – Shower
   20. Colors – Jason Derulo
   21. Never say never – Justin Bieber
   22. Hannah Montana Hoedown Throwdown Miley Cyrus
   23. Kidz Bop Sugar
   24. Purple People Eater – Sheb Wooley
   25. Dynamite – Taio Cruz
   26. I like to move it move it – Madagascar Soundtrack
   27. Hair Up – Justin Timberlake
   28. Jamboree – The Okee Dokee Brothers
   29. Fight Song – Rachel Patten
   30. Roar – Katy Perry
   31. You’re Welcome – Jordan Fisher (from Moana)
   32. Eye of the Tiger – Survivor
   33. Rise – Katy Perry
   34. Thunder – Imagine Dragons
   35. Something to dance for/ TTYLXOX Mash UP -Zendaya and Bella Thorne
   36. What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction
   37. I Just Wanna Run – Downtown Fiction

Try This Small Thing Today:

• Turn on the playlist and get moving with your kids!

Let’s Chat:

What songs does your family love? What songs would you add to the playlist?

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