1900

Pudding Cap for Children

Chur, 18th century

Those who learn to walk will fall sometimes. Since the 16th century padded bonnets, so-called «pudding caps», were used to protect small children’s heads in the event of falls. In the Age of Enlightenment they became less common. The reason for this was the emergence of new educational concepts. In his famous novel «Emile, or on Education» Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712‒1778) argued that a child’s natural development should not be interfered with. Remedies such as pudding caps no longer fitted this principle.

In the 19th century pudding caps were only used in asylums. Thus they became a symbol for people under guardianship.