Playlist & Game ideas for overnight teen lockin

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soundinmotiondj

soundinmotiondj

DJ Extraordinaire
Jul 23, 2008
717
278
DFW, TX
I have an overnight homeschool teen lock-in coming in April. My kids will attend, and my wife is the main parent sponsor (which is how she found a DJ to work cheap :sqwink: ). 8pm to 8am. Ages 12-17. We are expecting 50-60 kids, plus parent chaperones.

This will be held at a local gymnastics place - and the kids will get to play on the gymnastics equipment, trampolines, etc. There will be kid led games on the big mat, some board games in the break room, and open-play.

The rough schedule is:

8p Load in starts
8:30p Drop off begins
9p-Mid Open play, games, & background music
11p-Mid Pizza party
Mid-2a Midnight Dance Party
2a-6a Movies, open play
6a Breakfast & packing up
7a Pickup begins
8a Load out complete

The Midnight Dance Party will be mostly high energy 90's, 00's, and 10's dance & R&B music. This is based on the kids requests from previous dances. This is basically all the "Teen Dance Party Music" suggestions that I have found on the internet.

After the dance party, the PA will be used for movies (2 or 3...depending on the length of the movies the kids pick)...so that is my chance to get in a nap.

The background music for the open play & games from 9p-Mid is where I need some help. I suggested a tour of the 60's, 70's, and 80's...leading up to the dance party. That was not as well received as I hoped. :sqO.o:

Any suggestions that might not provoke teenage eye-rolls?
 
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Please remember those teens weren't even thought of in the 60's, 70's and 80's. Unless they have parents who played songs from those decades, they won't know any of the songs from those years. I get what you were thinking. There will be parents there and you were thinking to have some music for the parents to enjoy. This event is about the teens. Just make sure you play clean versions of the songs you play. It's about the kids having a good time and not upsetting the parents by playing a song with explicit lyrics. That means no mistakes playing a song with explicit lyrics.
 
I just did something like this last week. During the background segments it’s basically today’s music that’s not so danceable, or recent danceable music that’s not being used during the midnight party. Keep it familiar is all. And yes it’s ok to drop in a random oldies like queen or footloose or come on Eileen… again as long as it’s recognizable and just one here and there.
 
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Do you do High School dances and do you have kids that age? If so definitely talk to your kids about music and what is played at school dances. I stopped doing school dances about 6 years ago because of the music they wanted. I still do colleges so I get them when they graduate. Music can be regional but I get requests for music as far back as the 2000s, once they know you have the new stuff they will request the older stuff. Including stuff from High School Musical, Disney & other teen shows 10+ years ago my daughter who’s 28 used to watch. The last time I did a lock-in I played for 5 hrs between 12 to 5. With so much going on between inflatables and other activities there was no dancing and for a few times during the evening I was playing to the parents. Very easy job except for the drive out to the Hamptons which was almost 2 hrs.
 
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I did a After Prom event like that way in the past. I had trouble staying awake for the drive home. I was barking to stay awake! LOL. I haven't done one of those since like 2007or 2008. I vowed never to do one again. I just can't function correctly after 3 am. Even back then. I wouldn't want to try today.

These are mostly long hang out type of events for them. They will probably have multiple cool things to do while there. The last one I did, the school set up a cool obstacle course with these little pedal carts the teens could drive around. They also had jousting, and a big Moon Bounce set up.
 
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This particular group of homeschoolers is MUCH" more musically literate than any other group of teenagers I have seen. There are themed dances put on two or three times a years - I have chaperoned (but not DJd) four of these dances. So...the 60's, 70's, and 80's idea came from prior themes of these dances. The kids did seem to enjoy some of that music during dinner at the themed dances...but the planning committee members were lukewarm on the idea for background music at the lock in.

One of the hours will be "movie themes" from the monthly movie nigth over the last year. I have a list of the movies, and the soundtracks have some decent music on them. I am still working on ideas for additional hours.

I only have radio edits of songs, but that is NOT enough to keep things clean for the kids/chaperones. I have a pretty good filter for family friendly music. But it is always worth repeating.

I do have teenagers, who will be attending the lock in....so I need to be careful NOT to embarrass them. I have DJd High School dances in the distant past. I do recall that teenage musical taste has the shelf life of a banana...and that there will be a faction of kids who make it their mission to get an inappropriate song played.
 
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soundinmotiondj said:
This particular group of homeschoolers is MUCH" more musically literate than any other group of teenagers I have seen. There are themed dances put on two or three times a years - I have chaperoned (but not DJd) four of these dances. So...the 60's, 70's, and 80's idea came from prior themes of these dances. The kids did seem to enjoy some of that music during dinner at the themed dances...but the planning committee members were lukewarm on the idea for background music at the lock in.

One of the hours will be "movie themes" from the monthly movie nigth over the last year. I have a list of the movies, and the soundtracks have some decent music on them. I am still working on ideas for additional hours.

I only have radio edits of songs, but that is NOT enough to keep things clean for the kids/chaperones. I have a pretty good filter for family friendly music. But it is always worth repeating.

I do have teenagers, who will be attending the lock in....so I need to be careful NOT to embarrass them. I have DJd High School dances in the distant past. I do recall that teenage musical taste has the shelf life of a banana...and that there will be a faction of kids who make it their mission to get an inappropriate song played.
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As far as the kids trying to get a song that's not appropriate for the event, you're the DJ. That means you get to decide what's appropriate and what's not. Your job is to see to it that the kids enjoy themselves while the parents at the event aren't upset and they ask you to do another one again.
 
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