You know have a toddler in your life when all the shows you are up to date on include at least one talking animal.

Still, as the bronies phenomenon can attest to, there are some pretty quality children’s shows out there these days, providing not only reasonable entertainment but also promoting animal conservation, problem solving, or in the case of my personal favorite: the limitless bounds of imagination.

Pinky Dinky Doo feature a clever girl with cotton-candy colored hair who creates stories for her brother based on real life situations, every one of them packed full of silly and unexpected twists. The girl is always thinking big and coming up with fresh new ideas, reminding me as I work through my own manuscript to push through the obvious and make that story crackle and pop–no matter what it takes.

So thank you Pinky Dinky Doo, I never thought I’d write this, but you inspire me.