Halloween is on Saturday, October 31, 2026, and if you’re planning a class party, a costume parade or just a spooky kitchen dance-off, you need songs that are fun rather than frightening. This guide rounds up 25 kid-friendly Halloween songs, from 1950s novelty hits like “Monster Mash” to movie favorites like The Nightmare Before Christmas and Coco, with notes on which ones suit toddlers and which are better for older kids.
We’ve grouped them by type so you can build a playlist in a few minutes, and flagged the handful of picks that come from movies or music videos that may be too intense for younger children.
Quick Facts
| Songs in this guide | 25 |
| Best for | Ages 2–12 (age notes on each section) |
| Oldest pick | “Danse Macabre” by Camille Saint-Saëns (1874) |
| Newest movie pick | “Goo Goo Muck” by The Cramps, made famous again by Wednesday (2022) |
| Where to listen | Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube |
| Halloween 2026 | Saturday, October 31 |
| Last updated | September 2026 |
Classic Halloween Singalongs
These are the songs most grown-ups grew up with. They’re silly, catchy and built for dancing, which makes them the safest starting point for any age.
| # | Song | Artist | Year | Why kids like it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Monster Mash” | Bobby “Boris” Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers | 1962 | A goofy monster dance that hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 just before Halloween 1962 |
| 2 | “Ghostbusters” | Ray Parker Jr. | 1984 | Call-and-response chorus; a No. 1 hit and an Oscar nominee for Best Original Song |
| 3 | “The Purple People Eater” | Sheb Wooley | 1958 | A friendly one-eyed monster story that topped the charts in 1958 |
| 4 | “Witch Doctor” | David Seville | 1958 | The sped-up vocal trick that later became Alvin and the Chipmunks |
| 5 | “The Addams Family” theme | Vic Mizzy | 1964 | Kids can snap along with the famous finger clicks |
| 6 | “Spooky, Scary Skeletons” | Andrew Gold | 1996 | From the album Halloween Howls; later a huge internet meme |
| 7 | “Grim Grinning Ghosts” | Buddy Baker & X Atencio (Disney’s Haunted Mansion) | 1969 | Playful ghost song from the theme-park ride |
| 8 | “Thriller” | Michael Jackson | 1982 | A great dance track; preview the zombie music video before showing it to little ones |
A quick correction to a common mix-up: the 1984 “Ghostbusters” theme was written and performed by Ray Parker Jr. Run-DMC recorded a separate rap version for Ghostbusters II in 1989.
Halloween Songs from Movies and TV
Movie songs are an easy win because kids often already know the film. The first five are family-friendly; the last two work better for tweens.
| # | Song | From | Year | Age note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | “This Is Halloween” | The Nightmare Before Christmas (songs by Danny Elfman) | 1993 | All ages |
| 10 | “I Put a Spell on You” | Sung by Bette Midler in Hocus Pocus (original by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, 1956) | 1993 | All ages |
| 11 | “Remember Me” | Coco (Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez), Oscar winner for Best Original Song | 2017 | All ages; ties in with Día de los Muertos on Nov 1–2 |
| 12 | “Hedwig’s Theme” | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (John Williams) | 2001 | All ages; instrumental |
| 13 | Casper score | James Horner | 1995 | All ages; gentle rather than scary |
| 14 | “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” | Harry Belafonte, from the dinner-party scene in Beetlejuice | 1988 | Older kids (the film is PG) |
| 15 | “Goo Goo Muck” | The Cramps, from Wednesday’s dance scene in Wednesday | 1981 / 2022 | Tweens (the show is rated TV-14) |
Songs for Toddlers and Preschoolers
For the youngest trick-or-treaters, skip anything with screams or jump-scare sound effects and go for counting songs and movement songs.
| # | Song | Creator | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | “The Skeleton Dance” | Super Simple Songs | Teaches body parts while kids wiggle each bone |
| 17 | “Five Little Pumpkins” | Traditional fingerplay rhyme | Counting down from five with hand movements |
| 18 | Baby Shark Halloween songs | Pinkfong (Baby Shark & Halloween Songs collection) | Familiar characters in costumes, nothing scary |
| 19 | Halloween songs for preschool | The Kiboomers | Short, repetitive and easy for circle time |
Spooky Instrumental and Classical Music
Instrumental pieces are perfect for background music at a party, a haunted-hallway walk or a game of musical statues.
| # | Piece | Composer | Year | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | “Danse Macabre” | Camille Saint-Saëns | 1874 | Skeleton dances; the xylophone imitates rattling bones |
| 21 | “Night on Bald Mountain” | Modest Mussorgsky | 1867 | Older kids; famous from Disney’s Fantasia (1940) |
| 22 | “In the Hall of the Mountain King” | Edvard Grieg (from Peer Gynt) | 1875 | Musical statues; it keeps speeding up |
| 23 | Toccata and Fugue in D minor | Attributed to J. S. Bach | c. 1700s | That classic haunted-house organ sound |
| 24 | Stranger Things theme | Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein | 2016 | Tweens; synth background for a costume party |
| 25 | Halloween theme | John Carpenter | 1978 | Tweens and up only; the film is rated R, but the piano theme is instantly recognizable |
How to Build a Kid-Friendly Halloween Playlist
- Ages 2–4: stick to songs 16–19, plus “Monster Mash” and “This Is Halloween” at low volume.
- Ages 5–8: add the classic singalongs (1–7) and the family movie picks (9–13).
- Ages 9–12: the full list works; “Thriller”, “Goo Goo Muck” and the Halloween theme are the crowd-pleasers.
- Preview first: the songs are fine, but some music videos and film clips (especially “Thriller”) can scare young children.
- Mix in instrumentals: classical pieces keep a party spooky without lyrics competing with conversation.
Want the bigger picture? Our best Halloween movie soundtracks guide covers 25 film and TV scores, from Hocus Pocus and Coraline to Ludwig Göransson’s Oscar-winning Sinners.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best Halloween songs for toddlers?
Counting and movement songs work best: “The Skeleton Dance” by Super Simple Songs, “Five Little Pumpkins”, Pinkfong’s Baby Shark Halloween songs and The Kiboomers’ Halloween songs. “Monster Mash” and “This Is Halloween” are also gentle enough for most toddlers.
Who wrote the “Ghostbusters” song?
Ray Parker Jr. wrote and performed “Ghostbusters” for the 1984 film. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for the Oscar for Best Original Song. Run-DMC recorded a separate version for Ghostbusters II in 1989.
Who sings “Spooky, Scary Skeletons”?
Andrew Gold. He released it in 1996 on the album Halloween Howls, and it later became a popular internet meme.
Is “Monster Mash” appropriate for kids?
Yes. Bobby “Boris” Pickett’s 1962 novelty hit is a comedy song about monsters holding a dance party, and it’s one of the most kid-friendly Halloween classics.
Is “Thriller” too scary for kids?
The song itself is a fun dance track, but the music video’s zombie makeup and horror scenes can frighten young children, so it’s worth previewing the video first.
What classical music is good for Halloween?
“Danse Macabre” by Saint-Saëns, “Night on Bald Mountain” by Mussorgsky, “In the Hall of the Mountain King” by Grieg and Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor are all popular Halloween choices.
When is Halloween 2026?
Halloween falls on Saturday, October 31, 2026.
Related reading: Best Halloween Movie Soundtracks, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Soundtrack, Movie Soundtracks hub and our Festivals & holiday music section.