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Clare Jones
Hi MOOvers! I have two daughters (11 & 9) and two sons (5 & 3), a husband, and a puppy. We have lived here in Canberra all of our lives. We love music and movement and messy play in our house. In fact, it is often our saving grace when all else fails! Our family and friends share our passion too. Whenever possible, we try to get to activities involving music, being active, loose parts, nature play, or just getting out of the house and away from the screens.
What to expect at Moo
Discover a world of fun and learning with Maggie Moo Music Tuggeranong!
We offer engaging, multi-sensory classes for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers in Tuggeranong and the surrounding Canberra region. Ignite your child’s development through playful music and movement, messy play adventures, and stimulating early years sensory experiences.
From weekly music classes tailored for different age groups to monthly messy play sessions, Maggie Moo provides a joyful environment for growth.
We also bring the magic of Maggie Moo to early learning centres, preschools, and aged care facilities with our mobile incursions, and create unforgettable birthday parties and special events.
Join us at Maggie Moo today!
What do we offer?
Music & Movement
Baby Moo – a music and sensory session aimed at babies until they are walking. We use singing and age appropriate instruments and props to help develop a lifelong love of music in your little one. Our sessions present a balance of movement and free exploration for our little ones, as well as social connection opportunities.
Mixed Moo – Great for active little ones ages 0 to 5yrs (inclusive), friends with children of different ages, or a joint sibling activity. We use singing, movement, games, sensory play, creative role play and instruments all set to the fantastic and original Moo songs.
Baby Moo and Mixed Moo sessions are scheduled within the ACT School Terms, and generally run for 5 – 8 weeks per Term. Weekday and weekend offerings are available!
Sign up for the Term, attend casually, or trial a session before signing up for more.
PLUS keep an eye out for our Special sessions where we bring Music and Messy play together in the one combination session!
Messy Moo
Messy Moo are unstructured, messy and sensory play sessions designed for children aged 6 months* to 5 years.
Children can use their imagination and get messy with a range of different materials and textures, making it a fun, multi-sensory experience. We get wet, slimy, or covered in paint. We crunch, squeeze, or find things in different materials.
Messy Moo sessions are scheduled within the ACT School Terms, and we typically hold 3 – 6 sessions per Term.
Attend casually, or sign up for 2 or more sessions to receive a discount!
PLUS keep an eye out for our Special sessions where we bring Music and Messy play together in the one combination session!
* It is recommended that babies are able to sit confidently for short periods and have started solid foods to participate in Messy Moo sessions.
Mobile & Party Services
Did you know that our sessions are mobile? That’s right, Music & Movement or Messy Moo that comes to you!
Parties and Events
Playgroups
Childcare & Early Learning (including Family Day Care)
Aged care
Parents’ groups
…and more.
If your preferred date/time is not shown, or if you have any questions, please send us an email to discuss your requests.
Parties and Events
Make your celebration extra special with our fun-filled Music or Messy sessions! Whether you’re planning a birthday party, community event, or family fun day, we bring the entertainment to you.
Choose from our popular party packages below, or let us create a customised experience to perfectly suit your needs. We bring the energy, excitement, and creativity – you bring the smiles!
Check out our popular packages below, or please contact us to discuss.
Childcare and Early Learning
Let us bring some MOOsical fun to your little ones! Our engaging sessions are available for childcare settings on a regular or ad hoc basis. Exploring many of the areas of the Early Years Learning Framework, the children have so much fun, they don’t even realise they’re learning.
We currently run weekly sessions at Early Learning Centres where we provide 20-30min Music sessions (dependent on the age of the children), offering playful and enriching experiences to help little ones grow, learn, and thrive in their familiar care setting.
If you would like us to bring our sessions to you or your facility, please contact us to discuss.
Aged Care and Intergenerational
Maggie Moo is fun for all ages! We can run our sessions in Adult or Aged-Care facilities, with or without the inclusion of little ones.
We currently run weekly sessions at an Aged Care facility where we provide fun and engaging sensory/messy play for adults living with dementia.
In previous terms, we have run weekly Intergenerational sessions at an Adult Care facility with music and movement, as well as combined music and messy play, which our little and big ones thoroughly enjoyed!
If you would like us to bring our sessions to you or your facility, please contact us to discuss.
The Benefits Behind the Fun
At the heart of everything we do is a simple belief – children learn best through play!
Our sessions are thoughtfully designed to nurture your child’s development through music, movement and sensory experiences, all while having fun. Every activity is guided by the Early Years Learning Framework, supporting key areas such as confidence, coordination, social connection and creativity.
So while it may look like “just play”, your child is building important skills for life.
Early Movement for Babies: 5 Proven Reasons It Builds Stronger Brains
It Looks Like Play, But It’s Much More
Early movement for babies can look like the simplest thing in the world. A clap here, a bounce there, a splash followed by a giggle. Yet early movement for babies is doing powerful developmental work behind every one of those moments. When your little one sways to a song or kicks through warm water, their brain is building connections that shape how they learn, feel and grow for years to come.
Early Movement for Babies Shapes the Growing Brain
The first few years of life are when the brain develops faster than at any other time. During this window, a baby’s brain forms more than one million new neural connections every single second. These connections strengthen through three things: repetition, movement and sensory input.
So what does that mean for your family? Simply put, the more your baby moves, touches, listens and explores, the stronger their brain pathways become. Research from Griffith University found that children who participated in early swimming were 6 to 15 months ahead of non-swimming peers in language and cognitive skills by age four. Meanwhile, a University of Washington study showed that babies in active music classes developed stronger neural responses to both music and speech.
What matters most is that early movement for babies does not need to be complicated. Consistent, gentle and enjoyable experiences are the ingredients that count.
What Music Teaches Your Baby
Music is one of the most natural ways to support your baby’s developing brain. Remarkably, even newborns arrive with specialised brain regions ready to process rhythm and melody.
When babies clap along to a song, bounce on your lap or shake a maraca, they are strengthening rhythm, timing, listening skills and early language patterns. A McMaster University study found that babies in active music classes showed earlier communication skills, more smiling and were easier to soothe than babies who simply listened passively.
On top of that, research from Northwestern University confirmed that early music exposure strengthens how the brain processes speech sounds. All that singing and clapping during a Maggie Moo Music session helps your baby organise how they take in the world around them. In other words, early movement for babies through music is one of the gentlest ways to build these foundations.
What Movement in Water Adds
Water introduces a completely different sensory experience for little ones. Buoyancy supports your baby’s body while resistance challenges their muscles in ways that land-based movement cannot replicate.
When babies move through warm water, they experience deep pressure across their skin, shifting balance as they change positions and full-body coordination just from kicking and reaching. This combination activates the brain’s sensory and motor areas at the same time. As a result, water-based early movement for babies builds body awareness, coordination and calm.
Research also shows that water immersion increases blood flow to the brain by around 14 per cent during gentle exercise. Warm water stimulates the vagus nerve too, which helps lower stress hormones and creates an ideal state for learning. That is why so many babies appear relaxed, focused and content in the pool.
Sensory Learning Through Combined Experiences
Here is where it gets interesting. Music and water stimulate different sensory systems, and together they give your baby a broader developmental experience than either one alone.
Music builds auditory processing and rhythmic awareness. Water develops proprioceptive and vestibular input, which is how your baby understands where their body is in space and how to balance. When children experience both activities, multiple brain systems fire at once.
This is the foundation of what researchers call sensory integration. It supports coordination, learning readiness and the ability to process information from several sources at the same time. Consequently, early movement for babies across different environments builds a more connected and adaptable brain.
The evidence for complementary benefits is strong. A 2023 study found that young swimmers who added rhythm training improved their motor coordination significantly more than those who trained in water alone. Both activities also use repetition and ritual, such as familiar songs each week and consistent class formats, which research identifies as protective factors for healthy development.
Bonding and Emotional Development
These activities are not just about the baby. They are shared experiences between parent and child.
When you hold your baby in the water, sing to them during a music class or bounce them on your knee, you are strengthening attachment through eye contact, touch, voice and synchronised movement. Research confirms that these forms of connection release oxytocin in both parent and baby, building emotional security and trust over time.
Furthermore, a study of 134 mothers found that group singing with babies led to significant reductions in postnatal depression symptoms. Community-based parent-child activities also reduce isolation and help families build lasting friendships. Early movement for babies supports the whole family, not just the child.
Small Activities, Big Impact
Early movement for babies does not need to be complex or expensive. Simple, consistent experiences through music, water and play build stronger brains, deeper bonds and early confidence.
The best time to start is right now.
What looks like splashing and singing is building the foundation for how your child will learn, connect and grow. If you are exploring options for your little one, consider starting with a Baby Moo session or learning more about baby swimming programs at Aquatots here in Canberra.
Community Matters
We believe that raising and nurturing little humans was never meant to be done alone. A strong, supportive community can make all the difference – not just for children, but for parents and carers too!
This space connects you with local businesses and services that share our values and complement what we do at Maggie Moo!
- Brave Kids Physio is a home visiting paediatric physiotherapy service helping babies and children with any developmental concerns. They come to you as they believe kids learn best where they know best.
- OT with Tahls is passionate about supporting children with physical disabilities, genetic conditions, and complex medical needs, such as, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, neuromuscular conditions, seizures, and more.
OT with Tahls’ aim is to provide a safe space to provide a holistic approach to therapy where you can feel heard, understood, and supported.
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