How to measure your child’s height at home

10 steps 0/10

1. 1. Remove shoes, thick socks, hats and hair accessories; undo hairstyles that add height.
2. 2. Choose a hard floor (tile or wood) and a flat wall without skirting.
3. 3. Stand against the wall, feet together and flat, legs straight, arms by the sides, shoulders level.
4. 4. Look straight ahead, chin neither up nor down.
5. 5. Head, shoulders, buttocks and heels touch the wall (some body shapes cannot touch all four — that is fine).
6. 6. Place a hardback book or flat ruler against the wall at a right angle.
7. 7. Lower it until it rests firmly on top of the head.
8. 8. The person measuring keeps their eyes level with the book.
9. 9. Lightly mark the wall at the bottom edge of the book.
10. 10. Measure from the floor to the mark with a metal tape; record to 0.1 cm with the date.