Summertime and the living is bopping!

Hey y’all, Danielle here again with another playlist to celebrate the sunny season! It’s hard to believe we’re over halfway through the year, and now that summer is officially here, I’m excited to share ten family friendly songs which will have you and your loved ones movin’ and groovin’ to the beat. You can find the accompanying YouTube playlist here or the Spotify playlist here. Additionally, I would love for you to share any of your or your children’s summer favorites in the comments at the end of the post!

1. Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars

Get your toes ready to tap and your hands ready to clap along to this popular song! (The squeaky clean version of the song is posted below, and you can also find the original song here if you’d like.)

2. I Like to Move It – will.i.am

Your young ones are sure to love this track from the animated film, Madagascar, and my guess is they won’t be able to resist the catchy refrain to MOVE IT MOVE IT!

3. Walking on Sunshine – Katrina and the Waves

I can’t help but smile when I hear this song which immediately brings to mind a warm summer day, and it’s perfect for encouraging your younger ones to sing along during the choruswhoa!

4. Watermelon Sugar – Harry Styles

I have no doubt that this contemporary, fruit-themed pop tune will become a classic summer hit among kids of this generation. As a music therapist, I also love using this song with kids of all ages to work on gross motor movements as directed by the chorus to move high, low, side to side, and a number of other directions!

5. Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake

Let’s head back to the dance floor with this hit song from the 2016 animated film, Trolls, encouraging everyoneno matter your skill levelto bust out your best dance moves.

6. Y.M.C.A. – Village People

Gear up for a refreshing trip to the pool with this classic song loved by young and old alike. It’s another perfect tune for working on gross motor movements when you create the letters “YMCA” with your arms!

7. In the Summertime – Mungo Jerry

Here’s another groovy song from the ’70s by the British rock group, Mungo Jerry, which celebrates the carefree days of summer.

8. In Summer – Josh Gad

Chances are you’re familiar with the popular Disney film, Frozen, and this song may just be the cutest one from its soundtrack! You and your loved ones can sing along as Olaf eagerly anticipates what the summer will bring this friendly little snowman. (As a quick aside, if your children enjoy sing along videos like this one, check out this playlist put out by Disney Music’s YouTube channel here for a huge variety of others available to watch all for free!)

9. Three Little Birds – Bob Marley

There’s something about reggae music which gives off major summer vibes, and this song by Jamaican singer-songwriter, Bob Marley, perfectly captures the stress free attitude of a lazy summer day. So leave your worries behind as you listen because “every little thing gonna be all right!”

10. Down by the Sea – Red Grammer

I was unfamiliar with this song and YouTube channel until a couple months ago when a coworker showed me it, but I’m sure glad she did because it’s the perfect song for young children to work on their sequencing, motor, and vocal skills! Follow along with the singer to jump in the waves, ride on the raft, lay in the sun, and do a few other beachy keen actions!

Despite the days of summer dwindling down, I hope listening to some of these songs keeps you and your loved ones in a summery mood. You can find the YouTube playlist here and the Spotify playlist here, and I would love to hear about any of your summer favorites in the comments below. Thanks so much for joining me this week!