Discover More About the First Year of Life on Family Channel Documentary

With 4.1 million U.S. births predicted for 1991, there are sure to be a lot of new parents with questions. Take heart: Discovering the First Year of Life, a new Family Channel documentary, sets out to answer some of these questions, exploring a child’s first year of growth and development.

Hosted by Judith Nolte (whose own show, “American Baby,” airs on the Family Channel) and pediatric expert Dr. Steven P. Shelov, the special supplies parents with a preview of the changes their child will experience. It will give parents facts such as how far away an infant’s eyes can focus (8 inches, or approximately the distance from the baby’s face to its parent’s, when the parent is holding it). The series is a TV version of “The First Year of Life,” a publication many hospitals give to new parents.

“Discovering the First Year of Life,” Monday 7-8 p.m and Saturday 11 a.m.-noon Family Channel. For parents.

MORE KIDS’ SHOWS

“Woof,” on Disney Channel Discovery (Wednesday 1-2:30 p.m. Disney Channel), is a fantasy about a young boy who has a very realistic dream that he is a dog. For 3- to 13-year-olds.

A special edition of the South Bank Show (Thursday 5-6 p.m. and 10-11 p.m. Bravo) spends an imaginary “day in the life” of children’s author Roald Dahl (“James and the Giant Peach,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”), who died a year ago this month. In the show, Dahl encounters magical characters--both good and evil--accompanied by a group of children and a giant peach. For ages 8 and up, with parental guidance.

Samuel E. Wright, perhaps best known as the voice of Sebastian the crab in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” gives his animated alter-ego new life in the musical special Sebastian’s Party Gras (Thursday 8-8:30 p.m. Disney Channel), based on Wright’s sing-along album of the same name. For all ages.

The 1964 film Island of the Blue Dolphins (Friday 7-9 p.m. Family Channel) is based on the true story of an Indian girl stranded alone on an island in the 19th Century. For ages 8 and up.

Jason Robards plays the legendary author in the original movie Mark Twain and Me (Friday 8-9:35 p.m. Disney Channel), based on Dorothy Quick’s autobiographical “Enchantment: A Little Girl’s Friendship With Mark Twain.” For ages 8 and up.

Superman’s Secret Identity Saturday (Saturday 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Nickelodeon) is a marathon of six episodes of “The Adventures of Superman.” For all ages.

A young cub and baby fox learn about the first Thanksgiving in the animated Buttons and Rusty: The Turkey Caper (Saturday 4-4:30 p.m. USA). For 3- to 10-year-olds.

Espionage and terrorism figure into the new movie Rin Tin Tin and the Paris Conspiracy (Saturday 8-10 p.m. Family Channel), which stars Rinty, the smart German shepherd from the Family Channel’s “Rin Tin Tin K-9 Cop.” For ages 12 and up.

Note: The Disney Channel offers free service to participating cable systems today through next Sunday. Call your local cable operator for details.