Build It Bigger
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Close-up view of large-scale construction process.
Why We Rated This
for Ages 8 and Up
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
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Sexy stuff:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Build It Bigger was written by Emily Ashby
Parents need to know that this educational documentary series is filmed on location at construction sites of massive proportions, and workers often discuss the dangers associated with their jobs in very relaxed terms ("If that happens, you'll be dead," for example). Tweens with an interest in engineering and heavy machinery will be intrigued by this rare insiders' view of large-scale projects. Intermittent strong language ("f--k," "s--t") is bleeped.
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about the construction process. Kids: What big structures exist around your home? Have you ever thought about how they're made? What tools and machines do you think would be used in building such structures? Are you interested in building things? What would you like to build? Do shows like this help you learn more about things you're interested in? How could you find out even more if you wanted to?
More on Build It Bigger
What’s the Story?
Is It Any Good?
There's no question that the show is informative: In a segment about a California tunneling project, for example, Forster joins mining and construction crews digging a pass through solid rock and water a mile below the base of the San Bernardino Mountains. He reports on the entire process, from inspecting the water content in the soil to operating the huge machine that virtually disintegrates the rock and dirt in its path to form the tunnel. He also emerges from the subterranean construction site to observe the manufacturing processes that produce the concrete fittings, ventilation shafts, and other supplies required for the project.
That said, the show lacks any special pizzazz, so it probably won't be a must-watch for most kids. But tweens and teens with an interest in engineering or heavy machinery may be intrigued to watch their practical application in the real world. As for content, it's all fairly benign, but keep an ear out for some (bleeped) strong language and plenty of talk about the life-threatening hazards that accompany work on jobs like these.

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