Many years ago, I created a height board that I could move from house to house with us that would have my kiddo’s growth measurements on them. I really wanted to be able to track my children’s heights through the years and be able to compare it to their siblings. I knew when we were a young family we probably would need to move semi-often with schooling and jobs. This ended up being an understatement for our family. We have moved 13 times in the 14 years we have been married.
This morning is my second child’s birthday, so as tradition, we were measuring him and marking it on the height board. As I was doing this, I realized I have never shared how to do this project with you. So here it is, many years late (as you can tell from the pictures because my oldest is very young) . . .
Supplies
- 1″ x 6″ x 8′ – Wood Board
- Measuring Tape
- Vinyl (download template below)
- Rotatory Saw, optional
- Wood Stain, optional
- Sandpaper, optional
Step 1: Prep Wood
I cut my height board 6-1/2′ tall. I did this because every home has different height of base boards and I wanted to make sure it would sit flush up against the wall. So to be safe, I made sure to have 6″ on the bottom where it could clear the base boards. I made my height board 7′ tall beacuse I don’t see any of my children being taller than that.
After cutting the board to height, I sanded down all the edges and both sides of the board so to not have any areas that were rough.
Now, I added one coat of early american wood stain, but staining is completely optional.
Step 2: Apply Vinyl
Now to apply the markings to show where each inch is. This step could easily be done with just a sharpie and a ruler, but I cut mine out of vinyl. Download my SVG and PDF files below.
Step 3: Installation
Now you my be thinking how do I install this on my wall, or door frame (as in our picture). You will need FOUR L-brackets. I hold up our height board and measure on my wall where I want the brackets. Now move the heaight board and screw the L-brackets into the wall. You can now place your height board over those screws to “hide” the back part of those L-brackets and now screw in the sides to the board. Note: I place two L-brackets and the top and two at the bottom.
Now you can start marking it up to see how much your kiddos grow every year. Now, if you are seeing this and some of your kids aren’t very little anymore and you’re sad you have missed your chance to keep track, don’t worry! All you need to do is call up your pediatrician and request those heights from their medical record. If you were diligent at attending their yearly check-ups the doctors office will have all that information recorded. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy!
