Come to Life

We try to limit our 3-year-old’s television viewing, sticking with Blue’s Clues before daycare, American Idol and The Middle (since she has a crush on Brick **whispering** Brick). Sometimes, things like COPS and Entertainment Tonight accidentally slip through the cracks. I know, I know, take my mommy badge away from me now.

So when Discovery Channel’s gorgeous documentary series Life premiered on March 21, we were ecstatic to find an educational show we could all enjoy together. In fact, we were only three of the 11.8 million viewers nationwide who caught the premiere on Sunday.

Life is visually stunning, grabbing viewers from their sofas and plopping them in the middle of the rainforest or the Dead Sea. The tales of survival are particularly thrilling. Watching a baby ibex try to flee from a ravenous fox had me on the edge of my seat more than Paranormal Activity did.

Challenges of Life was the first episode, and true to its name, it spotlighted hunting and breeding, which worried me since there was a 3-year-old sitting with me on the couch. She’s heard Elton John sing about the circle of life a million times, but seeing it up close and personal – eek! Though we chose to flip the channel when three cheetahs took down an ostrich, we let her experience other worlds she may never see in person.

Too heavy for a toddler? Perhaps, but she was enthralled the entire episode.

The Discovery Channel runs two episodes of Life on Sunday evenings beginning at 7 p.m. Upcoming episodes include:

  • March 28 – Mammals and Fish
  • April 4 – Birds and Creatures of the Deep
  • April 11 – Hunters and Hunted and Insects
  • April 18 – Plants, Primates and Making of Life

By Nicole Plegge, Lifestyle Blogger for SmartParenting

Share This Story

Metro East mom Nicole Plegge has written for STL Parent for more than 12 years. Besides working as a freelance writer & public relations specialist, and raising two daughters and a husband, Nicole's greatest achievements are finding her misplaced car keys each day and managing to leave the house in a stain-free shirt. Her biggest regret is never being accepted to the Eastland School for Girls. Follow Nicole on Twitter @STLWriterinIL 

Our Daily Things to Do email is the easiest way to plan your day.
Follow Us
 
Things to Do

Discovery Club at the St. Louis County Library
Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Discovery Club is an exploration of all kinds of science! Kids ages 7-11 will navigate through the sciences with projects, experiments and activities at this free program. Themes include robots, roller coasters, potato batteries and more. 

 

View this event »
Little Explorers at Ballwin Parks
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Explore Ballwin's parks with your toddler or preschooler with the Little Explorers program, held twice a month. Each Little Explorers outdoor class includes a craft, snack, and lots of activities to get you and your toddler moving and exploring!

 

 

View this event »
Toddler Time at The Magic House

Visit The Magic House for Toddler Time, a special early-morning program for toddlers. Children age 1-4 can take part in exhibits and exclusive interactive activities designed just for little ones. There are new themes every week!

 

 

View this event »
Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym in Cottleville

Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym is an opportunity for any child to have supervised free play in the gym.  They can work on existing skills, try something new, or simply play around. It is completely up to them! Open Gym is open to both members and non-members ages 12 and under.

 

 

View this event »
Gateway to Reading
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Thursday, June 11, 2026
Monday, June 22, 2026

The Gateway to Reading program is a parent-child workshop that focuses on strengthening reading skills while engaging in fun, literacy-based activities. Participants will receive a free toolkit of materials to help children in their reading journey.

 

View this event »
Want daily ideas of things to do? How about special offers & giveaways? Sign up and we’ll handle the rest.
Popular Stories

Kids Unleash Their Creativity at Hands-On Summer Art Camps

Your creative child may have numerous opportunities throughout the school year to express themselves through art projects and other hands-on art experiences, but what about summer? When the classroom is closed, what do you do? Send your child to an artistically engaging summer camp, of course! 

Continue reading »
Travel Back in Time Every Friday at the Missouri History Museum’s Free Summer Family Fun Series

There comes a point every summer when all that “free time” isn’t so fun anymore. Your kids are bouncing off the walls, it’s too hot to hit the playground, and every activity seems to come with a big price tag. That’s when the screens come out, and parents find themselves counting down the minutes to bedtime. Thankfully, when Friday rolls around each week, your family can experience a mini summer getaway through history – no travel required. 

Continue reading »
Summer STEM Camps Create Hands-On Fun + Immersive Learning for Kids & Teens

Want your child to learn about subjects in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), and have fun doing it? Help them further understand the inner workings of what's all around them by enrolling them in a STEM-fueled summer camp. You may be surprised at the wide variety of highly-acclaimed summer camps in the St. Louis area that put new and exciting twists on STEM concepts, creating hands-on fun for kids with the benefit of introducing them to some of the latest technologies in AI, engineering, coding and more.

Continue reading »
Get Ready to Climb and Explore at These Free Big Truck Days

If your kids love to explore big trucks and vehicles, these upcoming Big Truck Days are a perfect weekend outing. They'll get to climb on and explore fire trucks, police vehicles, bulldozers, bucket trucks, ambulances and lots more.

Continue reading »
Miriam Celebrates Neurodiversity, Supports Unique Learners

At Miriam School, students with complex learning differences are supported and celebrated as they grow academically, socially and emotionally. Miriam provides a tailored educational experience for learners in grades K-12 who have not found success in traditional classroom settings. Students’ challenges may stem from specific learning disabilities (i.e. dyslexia or dysgraphia), ADHD, level 1 autism, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, or speech and language disorders.

Continue reading »
You Might Also Like...

From Our Sponsors
Follow Us