Parents' Guide to How Do They Do It

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Common Sense Media Review

By Will Wade , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 10+

In-depth look at unusual and challenging jobs.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 10+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 9+

Based on 2 kid reviews

What's the Story?

Where does paper come from? How do you park an enormous cargo ship? Can a laser slice through metal? HOW DO THEY DO IT answers all of these questions and many more. The educational series features in-depth segments on rarely seen jobs -- the cameras go right into factories, workshops, mines, and other job sites to get footage of highly trained specialists performing unusual and difficult taskls. As the title says, the show explains exactly how these jobs are done and why they're important.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say ( 2 ):

This series is the antithesis of shows that glamorize difficult and dangerous jobs, such as paramedics, demolition experts, and undersea treasure hunters. But while the careers profiled here may be more mundane, they're just as challenging and require plenty of specialized training.

Some viewers will find it interesting to learn, for example, how to create gemstones or turn oil-shale into liquid crude. Others might find segments inspiring, showing how unusual skills can be parlayed into a rewarding career. For either group, it's a satisfying show to watch.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about career choices. How did the people on this show end up with these jobs? What subjects did they study to prepare for their work? Do you think that mastering a difficult task makes for a satisfying career?

  • How does this show compare to other educational shows about history or science? Do you think this series shows career paths that seem attainable? Would you want any of these jobs?

TV Details

  • Premiere date : May 6, 2006
  • Network : SCIENCE
  • Genre : Educational
  • Topics : STEM
  • TV rating : TV-G
  • Last updated : October 1, 2025

Did we miss something on diversity?

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