Parents' Guide to

Build It Bigger

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Close-up view of large-scale construction process.

TV Discovery Channel Educational 2003
Build It Bigger Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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What's the Story?

In BUILD IT BIGGER, host Danny Forster suits up for a hard day's work on some of the world's most enormous construction projects, giving viewers a rare glimpse into the engineering, mechanics, and dedicated workers that make them possible. Among the building sites he visits are those of extreme roller-coasters, towering skyscrapers, and powerful U.S. Army tanks. Forster walks alongside the skilled workers, lending a hand when he can (but more often being kept a safe arm's length away from anything really important) and explaining every move as it's made. He describes how the people and machinery work together for both efficiency and safety's sake, and he talks with the workers about their jobs. Computer-generated images illustrate the magnitude and inner workings of the elaborate projects.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

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.

Talk to Your Kids 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?

TV Details

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