Old MacDonald Goes to Space
A Musical Adventure Through the Cosmos
Written by Dr. Carla Engelbrecht — mom, education technology expert, and creator of Hippo Polka. Carla has spent 25 years designing content for Sesame Street, Netflix, and PBS Kids. She holds a doctorate in Instructional Technology from Columbia University and is on a mission to make screen time joyful, educational, and easier for families.
From Farm to Space
For those who love kids songs about outer space, Old Macdonald, and adventure. AND for parents who need a fresh kids learning video that won't drive them cosmic.
Watch as our capybara farmer trades his tractor for a spaceship and embarks on an extraordinary journey through the cosmos. He meets three fuzzy alien friends who go "beep-boop," drifts through glowing comets that go "whoosh-whoosh," and even escapes a swirly black hole with his trusty rocket boosters!
There's a space pig. A space cow. And a gentle reminder that imagination can take you anywhere — even off the farm.
Why It Works for Kids
This video takes a beloved, familiar song and launches it into an exciting new setting. Kids get the comfort of the repetitive "E-I-E-I-O" structure they know and love, combined with the thrill of exploring outer space.
The adventure naturally teaches kids about:
- Space concepts: stars, aliens, comets, black holes, and rocket boosters
- Problem-solving: Old MacDonald faces challenges (like the black hole) and thinks of solutions
- Imagination and creativity: What if familiar things existed in space? What sounds would they make?
- Cause and effect: The black hole pulls, but rocket boosters blast you free
The catchy verses with sound effects ("twinkle-twinkle," "beep-boop," "whoosh-whoosh") make it memorable and fun to sing along with, building vocabulary and auditory processing skills.
Parent Extension Activity
Imagine where you'd send Old MacDonald next! Would he visit an underwater farm? A dinosaur ranch? A robot city?
Activity ideas:
- Let your child dream up the next stop for Old MacDonald
- Draw pictures of what he might find there
- Act out the adventure together, making up new verses with silly sound effects
- Create a "space farm" with toy animals and building blocks
This playful extension nurtures creativity, storytelling skills, and helps kids practice making up their own narratives.
Classroom Connections
This video is perfect for preschool and early elementary teachers exploring space themes:
Space Unit Hook: Use this as an engaging introduction to a space or astronomy unit. The familiar song structure makes space concepts less intimidating.
Creative Writing: Invite kids to write or dictate their own "Old MacDonald" adventure story. Where else could he go? What would he find?
Art Project: Draw your own space farm with space animals. What do space cows and space pigs look like?
Movement Activity: Act out the different motions from the song - twinkling like stars, floating like in space, blasting off with boosters!
Lyrics
Old MacDonald sold his farm, said "I need something new!"
Now Old MacDonald bought a spaceship, one that really flew!
Verse 1
Old MacDonald had a spaceship, E-I-E-I-O!
And on that ship he saw some stars, E-I-E-I-O!
With a twinkle-twinkle here and a twinkle-twinkle there,
Here a twinkle, there a twinkle, everywhere a twinkle-twinkle!
Old MacDonald had a spaceship, E-I-E-I-O!
Verse 2
Old MacDonald had a spaceship, E-I-E-I-O!
And on that ship he met some aliens, E-I-E-I-O!
With a beep-boop here and a beep-boop there,
Here a beep-boop, there a beep-boop, everywhere a beep-boop!
Old MacDonald had a spaceship, E-I-E-I-O!
Verse 3
Old MacDonald had a spaceship, E-I-E-I-O!
And on that ship he dodged some comets, E-I-E-I-O!
With a whoosh-whoosh here and a whoosh-whoosh there,
Here a whoosh, there a whoosh, everywhere a whoosh-whoosh!
Old MacDonald had a spaceship, E-I-E-I-O!
Verse 4
Old MacDonald had a spaceship, E-I-E-I-O!
And on that ship he saw a black hole, E-I-E-I-O!
With a pull-pull here and a pull-pull there,
Here a pull, there a pull, everywhere a pull-pull!
Old MacDonald had a spaceship, E-I-E-I-O!
Bridge
Old MacDonald's in trouble now.
The black hole's got him spinning round!
He's gotta think, he's gotta act.
Time to fire those boosters back!
Verse 5
Old MacDonald had a spaceship, E-I-E-I-O!
And on that ship he had rocket boosters, E-I-E-I-O!
With a blast-blast here and a blast-blast there,
Here a blast, there a blast, everywhere a blast-blast!
Old MacDonald had a spaceship, E-I-E-I-O!
Verse 6
Old MacDonald found a space farm, E-I-E-I-O!
And on the space farm, he had some animals, E-I-E-I-O!
With space cows here and space pigs there,
Here a moo, there an oink, farming in outer space!
Old MacDonald has a space farm, E-I-E-I-O!
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