The Parenting Playlist: Songs that Kids Can’t Get Enough Of
This week’s list is dedicated to kids and the songs that they connect with most. The songs on this list are the ones that I have found to keep my kids, friend’s kids, and nieces/nephews busy and occupied. They truly couldn’t stop listening to these songs. This is just based on my own experience as I’m sure there are so many different songs that other parents have noticed have the same effect. I didn’t include any Disney songs because that feels like it’s own category.
I have no reasonable explanation as to why these songs have such an impact, but they do…
Lukas Graham - “7 Years”
This is definitely a weird place to start, but for a long time, this was my kid’s and their friend’s go to song. It was on the Karaoke machine that my friend’s kid had and our kids would ALWAYS sing this song at least 5 times a session.
2. Parliament- “Flash Light”
This song is always good to get your kids dancing and having fun. They can’t get enough of it.
3. SHAED “Trampoline”
I think my kids are entertained by this song for a few reasons: it’s melodic, SHAED’s vocals are hypnotic, and lyrically kids think she’s singing about trampolines and don’t necessarily understand the deeper meaning.
4. Macklemore - “Thrift Shop”
This one was more popular with the older kids, but when they played the clean version on the radio or the Kidz Bop version, every single I knew (including my own) loved the song. They didn’t care that they didn’t actually know the words, they loved that he was singing about thrift shopping, not to mention that beat…
5. The Beatles - “Octopus’s Garden”
I don’t know if it’s because Ringo has a child-like sensibility about him, but for some reason, my kids loved this song when they were younger. It’s playful, upbeat, catchy, and lyrically it’s really not about much other than octopi.
6. Outkast - “Hey Ya!”
I think this one got some of the kids I know, including my own, because it’s easy to sing, it’s catchy, and even a little goofy.
7. House of Pain - “Jump Around”
When my kids and neices/nephews heard this song, they wouldn’t turn it off. They loved this song beyond words.
8. Mr. C the Slide Man - “Cha Cha Slide”
I mean, this is just a good song all the way around. Kids and adults alike love this song. My kids and their friends would turn this on and dance to it for hours.
9. Rednex Music - “Cotton Eye Joe”
Honestly, I have no explanation for this one, at least not a reasonable one that I can even conceive. I asked my friend’s kid and they said they liked dancing to it.
10. Queen - ”We Will Rock You”
I don’t know about any other parents, but this song was my kids obsession for a long time. I think it’s because the beat is easy to replicate., it doesn’t take a master drummer to do it. Also, when my child was doing Tae Kwan Do, the entire class would do this beat for each other during belt ceremonies.