Measuring the height of your children is one of those special bonding occasions that brings with it a whole host of unnecessary problems:

1 - Your child can not yet stand so it’s a two person job; one props baby and unfurls little legs, the other records the height

2 - You live in a rented property so memory markers on door covings, or holes in the wall to hang an expensive wooden chart are an impossibility

3 - You have a wriggly toddler who simply refuses to stand straight for you

4 - You move house, and those memory markers have to stay behind. Worse still, you have to paint over them!

5 - Where exactly do you store a whopping great wooden height chart when your babies grow up?

Five headache-inducing problems that are all too common for parents everywhere. Over two years ago, we bought Dex the most adorable wooden height chart with aeroplanes, clouds and other decorations that fitted the theme of his room perfectly. Unfortunately, it is still propped up against his bedroom wall and has never been used. We’ve moved some 4 times in his short little life and we haven’t got around to fixing it to a wall.

When I think of all those lost memories it makes my heart ache a little. Both of my children have memory boxes filled with newspapers from their birth dates, locks of hair, their hospital outfits, ID cuffs and other keepsakes. I’m annoyed with myself that I dropped the bat on something so rudimentary.

What’s Talltape?

Enter Talltape - the height chart of dinky proportions and ultimate keepsake for any new parent. It’s, simply put, a small roll of tape that can be either tacked onto your wall, or rolled away and stored somewhere safe. It’s a fully portable solution that solves every one of your 5 common problems.

With a passion for storing memories, we create products that help parents preserve memories of their children growing up… But I want Talltape to do more than just measure. Our four illustrated versions, by three talented female British artists, are designed to engage the imagination of the growing up child, and also to educate them, whether by counting or by learning dinosaur names. Camilla Warren, Owner of Talltape and London mum of 3.

They arrive neatly packed with a Sharpie Mini permanent marker pen so you can start straight away. They fit easily through your letterbox (10cm high and 3.2cm diameter) so there’ll be no dreaded red card from your Postie either. You simply roll your TallTape the other way to straighten it, then it’s ready to record those memories.

It’s made from a strong and robust material similar to normal tape measures. This is fabulous as it minimises the risk of rips and tears - essential for rip-happy toddlers. The length also stretches to an impressive 2m / 6ft 6″ (well beyond that of many more traditional height charts) so can accommodate the tallest child and dinkiest of babies straight from birth (newborns can measured lying down - genius!). The markings are also in imperial and metric making it a fab reference point for filling out medical documents and red books.

At £10.99 each, with a flat rate of £2.99 for UK P&P, it’s miles cheaper than a wooden monstrosity. I spotted they also have sweet little muslin pouches at just 50p if you’re gifting a Talltape to someone, or popping one in your child’s stocking. There are also several designs to choose from to complement any nursery theme.

You can also buy a pack of 4 different coloured markers for £3.99 if you plan on using one Talltape for every child in your family. It’s safe to say that mum and dad are not getting away without a little measurement of their own! Dexter also insisted on measuring his Buzz Lightyear so his pal’s particulars will be forever marked for prosperity beside Dexter and Heidi’s.

We plumped for the animal theme which is just one of four glossy themes designed by three eminent British illustrators and designers; Charlotte Bampfylde, Georgina McBain and Gemma Luker. I picked well as the illustrations on this chart are just beautiful. It features some 40 different animals all balancing on each other’s heads. Dex seems especially fond of the tiger and the obsessive stroking leads me to think he won’t be happy until he gets there!

The best bit? When the kids are simply ‘too cool’ to have this on display, it’ll live in their memory box ready and waiting until my children become parents themselves.

Simple but brilliant, you can grab your own from www.talltape.com or say hello on Twitter or Facebook!