What are the times when your child seems to desperately need you? Are you on the phone, cooking dinner, talking to a friend? 

When they want your attention when you are concentrating on something else -- when you need space and they are coming up with intriguing ways to get your attention -- these are the times you will want your "Emergency Box."

An Emergency Box is a place you can put things that children can do without a lot of supervision.

When you have the energy (this is early in the morning for Kirby), stock your Emergency Box. This can be a shoe box, a pretty box, etc. It may be your emergency box, but call it a "Surprise Box" or something else exciting for your child. Give it a label you and they like. 

Fill it with games and have it at the ready. Here are some things that will help:

Here are some games for the "Emergency Box":

Play each thing with the child first to show them how to do it. Then let them do it as you are nearby doing something else (for example, cooking). Here is another related article from the archives entitled 20 Learning Games for When Mom or Dad is Exhausted.