What music to play at a slumber party

The Ultimate Slumber Party Playlist: Songs Kids Will Love in 2026

* Updated September 2026 *

What’s a sleepover without a great playlist? 🎶✨

Music can completely change the atmosphere of a party — from dancing around the lounge room and singing at the top of your lungs to winding down with friends at the end of the night.

At Slumber Wonderland, we know that some of the best sleepover memories are made during those wonderfully silly moments when everyone knows the song, someone grabs a hairbrush as a microphone and suddenly the bedroom becomes a concert!

So, if you’re planning a sleepover party in Wollongong, the Illawarra or surrounding areas, we’ve put together an updated playlist with a mix of current favourites, sing-along classics and throwbacks that even Mum and Dad might find themselves joining in with.

💃 1. Songs to Get the Party Started

Start the night with upbeat songs that will get everyone moving.

• APT. – ROSÉ & Bruno Mars
• Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
• Can’t Stop the Feeling! – Justin Timberlake
• Happy – Pharrell Williams
• Shut Up and Dance – WALK THE MOON
• Levitating – Dua Lipa
• Espresso – Sabrina Carpenter
• Dance Monkey – Tones and I

Clear some space, turn the music up and let them dance!

🎤 2. The Ultimate Sing-Alongs

You know those songs where one child starts singing and suddenly everyone joins in?

These are perfect for that!

• Golden – HUNTR/X, EJAE, Audrey Nuna & REI AMI – KPop Demon Hunters
• The Fate of Ophelia – Taylor Swift
• Ordinary – Alex Warren
• HOT TO GO! – Chappell Roan
• Firework – Katy Perry
• Roar – Katy Perry
• A Million Dreams – The Greatest Showman
• Count on Me – Bruno Mars

Add a couple of pretend microphones and you’ve got instant sleepover karaoke. 🎤

✨ 3. For the Swifties

Let’s face it — sometimes Taylor Swift needs her own category!

Depending on the age of your guests, there are plenty of Taylor songs that can turn a sleepover into an impromptu concert.

Some favourites include:

• Shake It Off
• Love Story
• You Belong With Me
• Cruel Summer
• Style
• Blank Space
• The Fate of Ophelia
• Opalite

Let the birthday child choose their favourites and create their own mini Swiftie playlist.

🎬 4. Movie & Soundtrack Favourites

Movie songs are fantastic for younger sleepovers because there’s a good chance everyone already knows them.

• Golden – KPop Demon Hunters
• How Far I’ll Go – Moana
• Let It Go – Frozen
• You’re Welcome – Moana
• We Don’t Talk About Bruno – Encanto
• A Million Dreams – The Greatest Showman
• This Is Me – The Greatest Showman
• Try Everything – Zootopia

Ask the kids to choose their favourite movie song and see who knows every word!

🪩 5. Throwbacks Kids STILL Love

One of the funniest things about children’s parties is discovering that songs Mum and Dad grew up with are suddenly cool again!

Try adding a few classics:

• Dancing Queen – ABBA
• Wannabe – Spice Girls
• I Want It That Way – Backstreet Boys
• Walking on Sunshine – Katrina and the Waves
• I Wanna Dance with Somebody – Whitney Houston
• Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
• Footloose – Kenny Loggins
• Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen

You might find the adults know more of the words than the kids!

🎸 6. Feel-Good Favourites

These are great songs to have playing while everyone is eating pizza, decorating cupcakes, doing activities or just hanging out.

• Best Day of My Life – American Authors
• Sunroof – Nicky Youre & dazy
• Flowers – Miley Cyrus
• As It Was – Harry Styles
• Good Time – Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen
• What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction
• Count on Me – Bruno Mars
• Good Luck, Babe! – Chappell Roan

🎤 7. Karaoke Time!

If your child and their friends love performing, turn part of the sleepover into karaoke night.

You don’t need a fancy karaoke machine — displaying lyrics on the TV and giving everyone a pretend microphone can be just as much fun.

Try:

• Dancing Queen – ABBA
• Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
• Golden – KPop Demon Hunters
• Roar – Katy Perry
• APT. – ROSÉ & Bruno Mars
• I Wanna Dance with Somebody – Whitney Houston
• What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction
• HOT TO GO! – Chappell Roan

And remember — enthusiastic singing is far more important than actually being able to sing!

🌙 8. Time to Wind Down

Eventually (hopefully!) you’ll want the energy levels to come down.

Once the dancing and karaoke are finished, switch to something softer while the kids settle into their beds, chat or watch a movie.

Try songs such as:

• Lover – Taylor Swift
• Perfect – Ed Sheeran
• Photograph – Ed Sheeran
• A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
• Somewhere Only We Know – Keane
• Count on Me – Bruno Mars

Keep the volume low and let the night naturally start to wind down.

Whether they’ll actually go to sleep is another question entirely! 😴

💡 Let the Birthday Child Create the Playlist

One of the easiest ways to make sure your playlist is a hit is simply to ask the birthday child.

A week or two before the party, let them choose some of their favourite songs and ask their guests for one or two requests.

Not only does this make the playlist personal, but it’s also a fun way to get everyone excited before the sleepover.

You could even give the playlist a special name such as “Sophie’s 10th Birthday Sleepover” and play it throughout the night.

👨‍👩‍👧 A Quick Note for Parents

Not every popular song is suitable for every age group.

Before the party, it’s worth checking the lyrics of songs your child has requested — particularly for younger children.

Look for clean or family-friendly versions where available, and remember that what’s suitable for a group of teenagers may not be appropriate for an eight-year-old’s sleepover.

Streaming services also offer plenty of clean and kid-friendly playlists if you’d prefer to keep things simple.

💙 More Than Just a Playlist

The best sleepovers don’t need to be complicated.

Good friends, yummy food, a few games, some favourite songs and somewhere magical to sleep are often all kids need to have an amazing night.

At Slumber Wonderland, we love taking care of that magical sleepover space for you.

From our individual indoor teepees and open-style cabanas to our outdoor Bell Tents, we create sleepover experiences for children across Wollongong, the Illawarra and surrounding areas.

You take care of the playlist.

We’ll take care of the Wonderland. ✨

Slumber Wonderland — Where giggles, whispers and imagination come to play!