If you are a Christian with children, grandchildren, godchildren, or any favorite kids you’d like to influence with positive spirituality, the new book Banana Splits for Breakfast: 55 Ways To Spiritually Guide Your Preschooler is a terrific resource.

Dr. Susan Harrison, a mom and experienced children’s pastor with a degree in educational ministry, has compiled a list of unique and fun ways to present God’s kingdom to young kids in everyday life. The book is punctuated with colorful photos and equally colorful anecdotes illustrating techniques to get children engaged and create a firm family unit.

Ideas range from the unique: “Eat banana splits for breakfast and talk about how God spoils us,” to the super practical two-page list of things to do besides watch TV. Dr. Harrison lays out instructions on praying for your neighbors and your public servants, serving together in the church and community, and some pitfalls to avoid in parenting preschoolers.

Dr. Harrison also includes loads of encouragement and strategies for parental self-care. Tips include taking time for your own spiritual feeding, creating healthy habits in your marriage, maintaining good boundaries with outside commitments, and modeling Christlike qualities such as forgiveness. The additional information on preschoolers’ development and list of resources at the end of the book are an added bonus.

In full disclosure, Dr. Harrison was my writing buddy and I was involved in the editing of this book, but I would love it even if I’d never seen it before. I am looking forward to using it when my grandchildren begin arriving!