Suzanne Eaddy – Playgroup Coordinator
On 23 January, I attended a Zoom webinar, “The Best for the Youngest: A Call for Quality from Birth to Three”, hosted by Montessori Institute Prague. The guest speaker was Heidi Phillippart, whose Montessori work focuses on the 0 to 3 age group, with a particular focus on bilingualism.
Maria Montessori wrote:
“In the first days of life, it is clear that something of the utmost importance is taking place… he has ‘potentialities’ able to bring about his development, and these do so by making use of the outer world.”
(The Absorbent Mind, p.72)
This quote is applicable to the focus of Heidi’s presentation, which explored the many factors influencing a child, even before birth. She contrasted the experience of a baby developing in a calm, secure environment with that of a baby whose mother is under significant stress, such as homelessness or financial and nutritional insecurity. Elevated stress hormones, increased heart rate, and reduced calm periods all shape early development. As Maria Montessori emphasised, the environment builds the future human being and Heidi pointed out the importance of the prenatal environment.
Heidi spoke about the importance of respectful, intentional caregiving from birth. Explaining to a baby what is about to happen, handling them gently yet securely, and being emotionally present helps build trust, emotional stability, and strong relationships.
She highlighted the value of being fully present during feeding times, whether breast or bottle—putting aside phones, screens, and other distractions. Babies learn through repetition, so parents & carers need to allow time and space for movement, rolling, dressing, and later, practical life activities.
The adult role, Heidi explained, is to Stop – Observe – Act in ways that enable the child to do as much as possible independently. As she stated, “When a child can ‘do’ for themselves, they can ‘think’ for themselves.”
Language development was another key theme. Rich, meaningful spoken language supports communication, thinking, and relationships. Heidi noted how increasingly silent our world has become due to devices. From public transport to cafés, many people now engage more with screens than with each other. This makes it even more important that babies and young children hear clear, responsive, and respectful spoken language from birth. Heidi gave the example of being offered the WiFi code by four staff members while having lunch in a cafe.
Emotional development is supported through calm communication, gentle handling, eye contact (where culturally appropriate), and respecting the child’s pace. Heidi’s golden rule was simple but powerful: “Do life with the child—don’t rush.”
Montessori referred to the child aged 0–3 as a psychic embryo, a time when language, emotional life, and physical development are being formed. These early experiences truly matter and the Webinar content reinforces our Playgroup philosophy of encouraging 0 to 3 independence and speech that is often bilingual.
There is a YouTube introduction by Heidi Phillippart on amiprague.cz
