Experimental Pop Artist Ahva Picks the Top 10 Songs to Play at a Daycare Rave

Diplo posted a recent video on Instagram entitled ‘Most Exclusive Party of the Year’ in which he’s playing a DJ set at his son’s kindergarten graduation. The kids truly seem to love it, and Diplo is surely receiving the title of coolest dad on the planet. A friend of mine sent me the video saying, “Look, Diplo is just as cool as you,” noting that I’d played a DJ set at my daughter’s May Day celebration earlier in the month.

For anyone wanting to join Diplo and me, Ahva, in the coolest parent cohort, here’s a list for you of the Top 10 songs to play at a daycare rave and a ready-made Spotify playlist of the songs:

1. Lemon Jelly – “Nice Weather for Ducks”

“Start with something not too obvious—and something that maybe pleases you more than the audience. The audience won’t walk out during the first one. Lemon Jelly’s ‘Nice Weather for Ducks’ isn’t a naïve, saccharine tune—it’s an unapologetically joyous nod to British humour, pastoral critters, and layers of singable melodies piled onto quirky samples. There’s something deeply charming about Nick Franglen — a former session musician for Björk and Primal Scream — creating the musical equivalent of a bag of gummy bears, complete with a conga line of animated squirrels in the music video. If you want to continue with an adult-pleaser, follow this up with ‘Frontier Psychiatrist’ by The Avalanches.”

2. “Baby Shark (EDM Remix)”

“From ducks on the water to fish underwater. Kids love repetition, clearly: ‘Baby Shark’ has 16 billion views on YouTube. It’s a staggering number, if you ask me, but the original is composed in a way where the natural resolution comes when the song loops back to the beginning (so people just listen to it on repeat). For a kids’ rave, I’d go for the EDM remix… it mixes beautifully. If you want a really deep dive, the podcast 20,000 Hz did a fantastic episode about the song.”

3. “Peppa Pig Song (Remix)”

“I remember when someone first spotted the trap version of the Peppa Pig theme, and then blasting it with the kids. Then, I remember when it was pulled from streaming services—big disappointment, as I sadly don’t have a vinyl version in my collection. Now it’s back, and kids love that they recognise the tune. The remix is fun to spin into a DJ set.”

4. Frozen – “Let It Go”

“Want to know how to get ALL of the princesses onto the dance floor? Frozen! Disney’s 2013 smash is here to stay — it’s remarkable how its shine just won’t fade. The tune isn’t the easiest to mix with other rave tracks, but it just works (and everybody sings along). If you want another deep dive, Strong Songs has a fantastic episode about it.”

5. Huntrix – “Golden”

“Kids don’t usually actively seek out music, but they do absorb everything they hear. ‘Golden’ was the most streamed song of 2025, and it’s grown into something like the DNA of this generation. Not that I’m complaining—the track is genuinely fantastic. Is the magic in the triplets? The exceptionally wide vocal range? The Korean hidden in the lyrics? Maybe some things should remain a mystery. In a similar vein, I recently discovered ‘I AM’ by Korean group IVE. If you have a listen, it’s easy to spot how the Huntrix team was inspired by that track.

One note: don’t fall for the Golden x Italian Brainrot version, no matter how hard the toddlers request it. We, adults, have a duty to protect the kids from rotting their brains.”

6. “Chicken Dance”

“I was playing a Finnish version of ‘Chicken Dance’ at a kids’ disco when I heard someone nearby singing along (in Italian)… that’s the language of music for you! The ‘Chicken Dance’ is a good example of a song that’s been translated into virtually every language. It’s an ‘oompah’ number, and its associated dance fad has become familiar throughout the Western world. The song was composed by Swiss accordion player Werner Thomas in the 1950s. Oompah — or humppa in Finnish — is an onomatopoeic term for that rhythmic combination of a deep brass instrument with the response from the rest of the band. It’s a cheesy song, but it works.”

7. Luli Pampin – “Sono una tazza”

“Luli Pampin is an Argentinian artist who makes songs for kids. I discovered this Italian version of the Spanish song ‘Soy una taza’ (translation: I’m a cup), and it’s a fun way to accidentally learn a new language. I’m not sure it would’ve stuck if it weren’t for the sax riff, which makes the track an earworm you want to hear over and over again.”

8. Antti Paalanen – “Takatukka”

“Want to discover a peculiar Finnish gem? Antti Paalanen competed in UMK, the competition Finland puts on to select its annual Eurovision Song Contest entry. ‘Takatukka’ was the runner-up this year, but it’s been an absolute favourite at the kids’ disco. Paalanen plays accordion, and the energy of the track is infectious — joyful and slightly chaotic, which is exactly the right register for a room full of little people. ‘Takatukka’ translates to mullet, and even if you know Finnish, the lyrics are pretty much nonsense (so don’t let that distract you). Paalanen sings about cutting your hair, moustache, and an accordion marinade, whatever that means.”

9. Justice – “D.A.N.C.E.”

“One of my all-time favourites. It’s not a dance track—but it really is. The kids sing along out of tune, but in exactly the right way. The children’s choir woven into the production is a big part of why it works so well in this context. For a deeper dive, read more about it here.”

10. Ahva – “Supercomfort”

“Diplo was promoting his own latest single in that video, so I’m taking the liberty of adding mine too. ‘Supercomfort’ contains a pretty shameless nod to Justice, so it mixes nicely with ‘D.A.N.C.E.’ Part of the narrative of ‘Supercomfort’ comes from the experience of kids growing up with sensory sensitivities: the clothes that feel uncomfortable, the screen that’s impossible to switch off. The track works on the dance floor too. At 127 BPM, it can turn into a proper banger. There’s also a hidden message in the song—a Finnish phrase shouted into the mix. Let’s see who can find it.”

Encore 1: Käärijä – “San Francisco Boy”

”Ever since finishing second at Eurovision with ‘Cha Cha Cha’, Käärijä has been making waves internationally and has essentially learned English in the process. ‘Cha Cha Cha’ absolutely works at a kids’ rave, but if you think the Finnish lyrics will make some of the audience shy away, ‘San Francisco Boy’ (featuring Hooja from Sweden) is an absolute disco banger. Kids love it.”

Encore 2: Melody’s Echo Chamber – “Be Proud of Your Kids”

“‘Be Proud of Your Kids’ feels like a child’s drawing translated into sound, piling woozy psychedelia and kaleidoscopic production into a track that manages to be both whimsical and slightly unhinged—exactly the energy required when thirty preschoolers collectively decide that the floor is lava. Underneath bright colours are lyrics that are simple and disarmingly sincere: an ode to celebrating children exactly as they are, carrying an unconditional affirmation that every young person should encounter early and often.”

Be proud of your kids.

Ahva ‘Clean Your Soul’ Album Artwork