Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate how the experience of putting on and taking off clothes influences the growth of children. The subjects of questionnaire surveys were child care workers.
It was found that: (1) Children in kindergartens and nurseries have a habit of putting on and taking off clothes regularly. Children learned the fine movements such as buttoning and putting away their clothes, and the configuration of clothes between the ages of 3 and 5. (2) Child care workers at kindergartens felt a stronger need for assistance than those at nurseries in having children put on and take off clothes by themselves. Educational effects gained from the experience of putting on and taking off clothes were children's mental development and their becoming independent in their clothing habits. (3) About 60％ of the child care workers felt that children's skillfulness in using their fingers and hands has decreased compared to before, giving specific examples mostly of basic living habits such as buttoning. It can be speculated that one of the causes is modern living, in which only easy movements are required. About 70％ were conducting activities to improve finger and hand dexterity in kindergartens and nurseries, mainly through play.
