Wendy Shand, Family Travel expert and founder of child friendly villa specialists Tots To Travel has some important advice for families who are planning to hire a car abroad. Getting a family with small children galvanised and on the plane is no mean feat. It means heroic levels of organisation, an enormously early start and the patience of a saint to deal with the mounting excitement of children who, on landing, can sense that they are just a few moments from the cool of the pool.…..or not! This is the scene at just one car rental firm at Malaga airport...

Flying with small children can be a bit of an endurance test, but don’t let it put you off travelling – it’s always worth it! Here are a few tips that might help: Before you go If your child has not flown before, use role play to help them understand what will happen. For example, they might be upset at seeing their suitcases taken away, or be anxious about walking through a metal detector. There are plenty of books aimed at young children flying for the first time. When booking, think about timing flights around naptime to encourage sleep on...