Toddlers are more of a challenge, many aren't happy sitting for a minute, don't want to be strapped in or held and some are also very hard to distract. Under twos usually travel free or pay a nominal fee though, so it really is an opportunity not to be missed.

Toddlers have a lot more energy then they did as babies use whatever pre-flight opportunities present themselves to exercise your travelling toddler and encourage him to let off some steam. Once you've checked in your luggage, get your toddler to walk everywhere with a harness and reins, up the stairs and down the escalators, to go and watch the planes taking off, jogging back and forth to the nappy changing facilities, to go and look at the tax free shops etc etc

Check out the Let's Go Babe Sectionfor the age of your children for more tips and advice on reassuring and adapting children to the concept of travel.

Children love pretend games so play "Let's Go To The Airport". Pack a little bag and give them a ticket to hand it in at check-in. Daddy can be the flight attendant and Mummy can fly the plane (we don't get the chance of having the controls to anything around here very often so make the most of it). Make a little row of airline seats out of some cushions; Daddy can show us how to put our seat belts on; then lots of loud engine noises, (especially important if your child is terrified of loud noises at home like the vacuum, hairdryer or mixer, try to acquaint him with these noises, an aircraft's engines are even noisier); getting the children to rock and bump up and down will help prepare them for a noisy and bumpy take off/landing. Daddy can serve drinks and snacks while Mummy relaxes on Autopilot.

My lovely God son Richard played this game before a trip to Portugal. Unfortunately when his family arrived at the 'real' check-in Richard was absolutely defiant that nobody was going to have his little red suitcase and many tears followed. So, reinforce the idea that we "give our cases to the nice lady/man to look after for us and we get them back again (hopefully) when we land".

Being restrained in a seat for hours at a time can seem like torture to a toddler. Some parents feel it makes sense to help a child sleep during a very long flight.

Medicines intended to sedate frisky children can, however, produce a paradoxical effect in some children - they may stimulate the child rather than make him drowsy! So it's worth trying out a dose at home one evening well before you fly.