From the moment they are first born, parents are encouraged to record their babies’ growth by keeping a record of height and weight. Kids love to see how they grow and keeping a toddler growth chart is a fun way to track growth so all can see.
Toddler Growth Charts to measure progress
Height is an important measure of overall development and health. Keeping toddler growth charts shows kids exactly how quickly they are growing. Marking up the height chart can be part of the educational process for the whole family, whilst making children aware of their bodies and how they grow. Using the chart also helps to record precious memories and milestones of children’s growth. There’s certainly a lot to take note of in the first few years. Read on to discover more.
6 Surprising facts about how children grow
Children grow at an astonishing rate. It is surprising just how much their bodies develop in a short space of time. Here are some surprising facts about how it all happens
1. Babies grow fastest from birth to one year old
The first year of life is a period of rapid growth – just think of baby clothes. Babies grow into new sizes of clothes for every three months of their first year. The average baby is born at about 50cm. It is true to say that height is carried in the genes with shorter babies being born to shorter parents and vice versa.
Babies grow around 12cm in their first year. After this they will continue to grow at a much slower but steady pace. Most girls will stop growing in their mid-teens whilst boys vary with some reaching their adult height in their teens. Others continue to grow into their early twenties before they reach their full adult height.
2. They grow overnight
Some days you’ll wake up to find that all the clothes that fitted yesterday are suddenly way too small. Believe it or not kids do grow overnight. This is because somatotropin, the hormone responsible for human growth, releases from the pituitary gland during sleep. Additionally the energy used whilst awake to be active in the day is used to encourage growth whilst babies are sleeping. So encouraging good sleeping habits can help to ensure healthy growth.
3. Growing pains are real, however…
Growing pains is a phrase which we associate with all sorts of problems. The origin of this phrase refers to the aches and pains children experience during the night. These pains usually in the lower limbs, are however not thought to be the result of growth spurts, as most parents believe. The pains are a common symptom in active children with loose flexible joints and although uncomfortable are not thought to have any long term effects.
4. Height changes during the day
It is definitely a true fact that we wake up taller than we are when we go to sleep. This is because during the day the discs in the spine compress and an adult can lose up to a centimetre from morning to night
5. You are what you eat
Nutrition is certainly an important factor in children’s development. Healthy eating habits, including a balanced diet will ensure children reach their full growth potential in addition to exercise and outdoor activity. Exactly what their full potential is can usually be determined by the height of parents.
6. You can roughly estimate how tall your children will be
There’s two accepted ways to predict what your child’s height will be.
1.
- Add together the mother and father’s height in centimetres.
- Add 13 centimetres
- Divide by 2
2.
- Double the height of boys at age 2
- Double the height of girls at age 18 months
Toddler growth charts at home
Don’t miss those precious moments. Choose one of our toddler height charts from the great designs on our site and record your toddler’s growth as a regular event. Boy’s growth charts or girl’s growth charts? Choose from a wide range of designs and customise them to your favourite colour. Match room décor or your child’s favourite colours or hobbies.
Tips on how to make lasting memories with your height chart
Order these stick-ons and add them to the chart on important dates like Christmas Day. You can order them in a wide range of colours and write the date on them with a sharpie. In addition you can add these numbered pin decals to the chart on birthdays.
As well as recording the date on the height chart make sure you take a photo each year to record how much they have grown. Use some visual props to remember the occasion. Age numbered balloons, milestone cards or birthday cards will give you an annual record and a great momento.
Make sure you check out the whole range of children’s height charts from Inkmill Vinyl. There are more than 30 designs to choose from as well as a wide range of colours to suit any room scheme.
Inkmill Vinyl creates vinyl decals for homes and businesses. Discover a wide range of custom vinyl stickers on our website.
