How to Make a Child's Growth Chart

Sample Homemade Growth Chart

Do you remember standing with your back against the wall, shoes off, and shoulders straight while your mom marked how tall you were with a pencil? It's fun to remember the marks on the wall, and the joy you felt as you grew taller. This is a great tradition to carry on with your children. But who wants to leave a series of marks on their walls?

Why not create a homemade growth chart that can be hung on the wall? It can easily be moved when the thrill of growing older wanes, or if you need to repaint or move.

Growth chart designs are as varied and unique as their creators. A chart can be as simple as tacking a yardstick to the wall or as detailed as a custom quilt. It can be made of fabric, wood, or paper.

Things You'll Need

• Aleene's No Sew Glue
• 14-inch dowel rod
• Fabric, wood, or paper
• Measuring tape
• Permanent marker
• Hammer & nail

Instructions

1. Choose a sturdy fabric. Lightweight canvas is perfect for this project.

2. Cut the fabric into a piece that measures 4'5" tall by 14" wide. This will provide 5 feet of measuring space (beginning 1 foot from the floor). Make sure the fabric will have a 2" hem at the bottom, a 3" hem at the top and a 12" width with 1" hems on each side.

3. With the No Sew Glue, fold over the hems and glue in place. Glue the top hem away from the fold (close to the edge of the fabric) to allow the dowel rod to pass through.

4. Line a measuring tape next to the long edge of the fabric. Mark off the feet and inches using a permanent marker or paint pen.

5. Decorate your child's chart. You may wish to use appliques that you apply with the fabric glue. Craft stores are full of cutouts in felt, foam, balsa wood, and paper. The possibilities are endless. Think of your child's interests. You may even choose to have your child help decorate his own chart with your help. Fabric and sewing departments carry a terrific variety of decorative ribbons and buttons. Perhaps your child would like to choose a theme (fairies, fire trucks, ballerinas, and jungle animals are all popular and easy to find).

6. Allow time for all of your paint or attached decorations to dry. Insert the dowel rod in the rod allowance left at the top of the chart.

7. Hang the chart in a special place in your child's room. Make sure the bottom of the chart is 1 foot up from the floor.

8. Marking the child's progress can be done in a number of ways. Permanent marker is easy to apply and easy to read. You could choose to attach a themed button at the coordinating line on the chart, or glue a bow made from matching ribbon. For example, drawing a simple tree up the middle of the fabric could create a darling chart. Mark the feet and inches on the tree in the center. For each milestone, attach a cutout of a cute bug. The bugs will climb up the tree as the child grows. When he reaches the top of the tree, you could add leaves and a bird in a nest to signify the completion of the chart.

Tips & Warnings

• Have fun with it. Be open to the variety of ideas you can find in your craft or hobby shop.

• You'll create a personal treasure and lasting memories.