TRAVEL TIPS

Make the most of this adventure and start the build up a few weeks early. Use a special calendar and let the children mark off the sleeps.

If the airline you are travelling on allows you to book kids meals and reserve seats, do this as early as possible and in the case of kids meals, double check the order with the airline a day or prior to departure. The beauty of kids meals is that they are brought out to first along with the other special meals (vegetarian etc) which allows you to get your children settled eating their meal well before your own is delivered.

When flying with small children, some believe the best seats to reserve are at the bulkhead. That's the first row of seats in the plane (in economy) where the basinets will be located if available. There is more legroom and you will be facing a wall, however, the armrests don't fold up (the tray tables are located in there) which can be quite restricting. The other option is to reserve seats on the side of the plane including a window seat. On a daylight flight, looking out the window provides entertainment and on a night time flight the wall provides something to lean a pillow against. Better yet is that the armrests fold up allowing children to sleep lying across their parents or for toddlers to clamber over and back their family members!

It will be hard with all the excitement, but a good night's sleep before departure give everyone the best base for a successful travelling day.

(1)Your Suitcases

Start making up a list of everything you will need to pack a week or two before the trip. That way you can take the children's clothes that you intend to take out of "circulation" and thereby they are freshly washed and dried in time for packing the suitcase.

When travelling to a tropical destination so much time is spent swimming and in the sun so we recommend taking lycra swim suits for younger children and rash tops for older children. Make sure everyone has a sunhat and of course take bulk sunscreen as you go through a lot of it!

When travelling to the Pacific Islands it is advisable to take all the nappies you will need with you as they are very expensive to buy from a resort shop. We recommend taking the nappies out of the packet and spreading them around the edges of the suitcase and in the outside pockets to reduce the amount of room they take up in your luggage.

Make sure you pack a simple medical kit and you could either have your chemist make one up or put your own together. Carry any medicines in original packaging and take backup supplies of children's medication. Whatever you do, don't forget that bottle of trusty Pamol - useful for a multitude of ailments!

As restrictions continue to tighten up over cabin luggage, we now must carry most of our toiletries in our checked bags. Ensure you put all bottles of liquid or deodorant in plastic bags and secure tightly. The last thing you want when you finally reach your destination hotel is to find that one has leaked through your luggage! You can buy "zip lock" plastic bags or a couple of doubled up and tightly knotted supermarket bags do just as good a job.

(2)Your Hand Luggage

It's a good idea to take a backpack as your hand luggage as this allows you to keep you arms free when boarding and disembarking the plane. Consider two backpacks if two adults are travelling: one with practical items such as nappies, wipes, clothing and food, the other with entertainment such as puzzles, toys, books, colouring books and crayons - makes it much easier to locate items in a hurry.

Pack as many nappies as you will need until you get access to your suitcases where the rest of the nappies will be. Calculate this carefully as you need to take into consideration the time spent at the airport before and after the flight, the flight itself and the journey to your hotel. Always pack a couple of extra too in case of delays or unexpected accidents.

An idea to consider is taking Pull-ups for use on the plane as they are so much easier than battling lying your child down to change them - remember space is confined in toilets on planes

Wet wipes are a must too for both nappy changing and wiping faces/hands. These are another item that we recommend you avoid needing to buy in the Pacific Islands due to the cost. We suggest you pack a regular size packet of wipes in your suitcase and take a smaller packet on board in your hand luggage.

Small children always need at least one extra set of clean clothes and if you're travelling with a baby it's suggested Mum takes a spare top for herself as well!

Probably more relevant on long haul flights but some parents choose to take something in case their child has trouble sleeping. In addition to conventional medicine such as Phenergan, there are natural herbal supplements which can be purchased at pharmacies.

If you plan to use Phenergan (only available on prescription from your GP), make sure you trial it a few weeks before your flight. In a small percentage of children it can produce the opposite reaction (hyperactivity) which you would not want on a flight. Also the correct dosage required to help a child to sleep differs widely per child and it wise to know how much you are going to need to give before the flight.

Children's ears sometimes hurt on landing. To remedy this, pack some chewing gum (not suitable for Singapore where gum is illegal) or chewy lollies and hand it out as the plane starts its descent. There's also Karvol which is a menthol decongestant purchased in capsules. Cut the end off and squeeze the liquid onto a handkerchief, your child can sniff this to keep their nose and ears unblocked. It's available at all chemists.

Entertainment/activity items (see On the Flight).

If the flight isn't too busy some airlines will allow you to take up a whole row as a family, giving you an extra seat or two (particularly if you an infant on your knee) - you need to ask about this when you check in

Some airports and airlines will allow you to check your stroller in (and put the necessary bag tags on it) but keep it with you until you board the plane. This is extremely helpful for infants so it pays to ask at check in. Alternatively some airports have courtesy strollers to use whilst waiting for departure. Either way though, you won't get your stroller back until you get your luggage at the other end of your journey, so for infants a front pack, sling or backpack is invaluable.

Walk around as much as you can to enable the children to burn off energy as you will be sitting for a long time once you get on the plane. For toddlers a child restraint is a great way to allow your child to stretch their legs through airports, while you have peace of mind that they are safe.

Some airports have a play area for children - use it if they do!

Do a nappy change or take your children to the bathroom just before boarding. Once on board the plane, the seat belt fasten sign will be on for up to 15 minutes after departure (during which everyone must remain seated) and using the bathroom is not an option.

Most airlines offer families with young children the chance to board the plane first. This can be helpful enabling you to stow your cabin luggage and grab the pillow/blankets you will need first. However some prefer to leave boarding until as late as possible and use the extra time walking or running around in the departure lounge with the theory that this can make take-off time less stressful and help your child settle faster.

Keep an eye out for customs counters designated for people with children. Not all airports have them but ask as they do save time and sometimes just by asking you are given priority.

Don't be afraid to ask for assistance, especially if you are travelling alone with children. Cabin crew and airport officials are generally very helpful.

Children often get ear ache on takeoff and landing. Give your baby or toddler a drink or breast feed them during this time, as the swallowing helps keep their ears unblocked. If your child uses a dummy give it to them during takeoff and landing. Get older children to practise holding their noses and blowing gently to relieve air pressure. This is also the time you get out the lollies or chewing gum you've packed in your hand luggage!

For toddlers take sipper cups for airline drinks to be poured into. They must be empty when they go on board but having them gives peace of mind to avoid spillages.

Cabin crew will heat up bottles for you but remember to ask well in advance of when you will actually need it.

Take some snack food. Some airlines do not provide kids meals but even when they do, children's tummies get hungry at all sorts of odd times!

Many airlines have in-seat entertainment screens in the back of each seat but don't rely on these keeping your children entertained for the whole flight. Similarly some airlines provide complimentary Kids Activity packs but it is still highly advisable to take your own entertainment and activity items.

For smaller children many parents recommend small wrapped presents given separately every one to two hours. Other ideas are finger puppets, stacker cups and "doodle" boards. Reading books, games and colouring books/crayons are good for all ages.

If your child has a favourite sleep or comfort toy make sure you have it on board with you. Not only will it be useful when you want your child to go to sleep, never risk packing it in a suitcase just in case the bag went missing!