The journey is part of the fun

The excitement of rail travel; the perils of speeding children; games for all generations; and changing car hire rules

– I have received many bruised ankles from small children in supermarkets on scooters: and as for the thought of sitting in a plane in the row in front of a family playing a (relatively) quiet game of Snap…! HAZEL INGRAM

Magic of Monopoly

When travelling with children (in the past – for now) we used to take games like Travel Scrabble, Monopoly, Yahtzee and a game including a couple of pigs always known as Piggies. I see now advice to take iPads and download films. I’d still recommend the old style as being more inclusive for everyone, and remember us all being a bit cross that our Monopoly was interrupted when our long delayed flight was eventually called. PENNY WHITE

Teen adventures

Our formula for holidays with teens was shaped by a family adventure holiday in 2008 in Croatia where we kayaked in the karst rivers, walked in the Plitvice Lakes and discovered the national sport of jumping into rivers from huge heights.

The combination of mildly adrenalin-generating activities, usually waterbased, under the instruction of expert guides and the companionship of other families set a pattern for the teenage years. Participation has been on increasingly

Slow down: you’re on holiday

The secret to a stressfree holiday (Cover story, July 23)?

Begin by not trying to be the first family or people to get off the plane or the train. Do the opposite and get used to

equal terms, although the teens surpassed their parents in nerve when hydroboarding (think body boarding down a kayak slalom course) in the Pyrenees.

Most memorable was a six-day rafting trip in Idaho, made very special by the isolation – 250 miles from the nearest road – the bond between the children of the the feel that slow can be good. Wait calmly until everyone else gets off then stroll down the aisle all by yourself.

Planes and trains are great places to pick up books, papers and magazines that other people leave – use them as holiday reading.

three families and the outstanding skills of the guides. But the defining factor was best summed up by our then 10-year-old son on that first trip: “I like this holiday in Croatia: it’s fun.” ALICE PARKER

Car hire abroad

In the “Hiring a car” section in your cover story last

Spread positive energy – let other people go if it’s their turn in shop queues or check-in desks.

Children might learn from this, too. Rediscover how to be the master of time, not its slave: you’re on holiday after all. NIGEL COX WINS A £250 RAILBOOKERS VOUCHER

week it stated that the DVLA access code required for hiring cars abroad is only valid for 72 hours and must be generated just before travelling. In fact, this was extended last year to 21 days. Interestingly, I have generated one twice this year for car hire in Croatia and Canada and neither time was it asked for. PENNY HIPKIN