Photo Credit: dougww

You’ve read all the tips for toddler travel: bring new toys, wrap them as gifts, encourage naps (Benadryl always an option), ply with candy (most effective: long-lasting lollipops). But the simplest and longest-duration amusement for toddlers and preschoolers on a long flight is TV or a DVD. But there’s a pitfall to this easy, drug-free travel solution, and it’s name is battery-life. I’d like to suggest a few ways you can mitigate this when flying with small children.

1. Before buying your ticket, check seatguru.com.There you can see if your aircraft offers inseat power. If you’re flying first or business class (and if you’re reading this, you’re probably not), your chances are great of having a power access in your seat. If you’re in coach, you should check anyway: You may get lucky. Or the seatmaps may help you decide between equally priced tickets on two different aircraft…one equipped with inseat power and the other not. And, if you find that you’re on a flight with power, but it’s not your seat, be bold. On a flight I was on last month, a parent in the row behind us knew that the power was at the foot of our middle seat and asked my seatmates to plug them. Of course they were helpful: It’s a kindness that repays with a quieter cabin.

3. Consider buying a spare battery for your laptop. If that’s how your kids will see movies, extra batteries can be a lifesaver. The average laptop battery life is 3 hours in full mode. You just doubled this with a spare. The battery for my own Toshiba laptop runs about $79. It goes without saying that you should practice changing out the battery at home before you leave, so that the pressure of a screaming two-year-old who wants The Wiggles won’t cause you to freeze.

 3. Remember to bring earphones for your children to use. Nothing will make the rest of your flight neighbors crazier faster than forcing them all to listen to Diego chanting, “Coming to the rescue.”

4. Consider bringing your laptop plus a portable DVD player.OK, so it’s a $100 -200 investment, but believe me, it’ll pay off. Some DVD players offer up to nine hours of battery life, but check buyer reviews as many manufacturer battery life claims appear to be unsubstantiated. The Sony DVD player my family recently invested in for a trip to Europe has a reliable six hours of battery life. (And I’ve been surprised how often we use it at home, too.) If your child will watch a small screen, you can also download games and TV shows to your iPod–a lightweight option.

5. Choose a carrier based on its AV capabilities.JetBlue made its reputation by offering satellite TV in every seat. But lesser-known Frontier Airlines also has satellite TV in every seat for $5.95 per flight. Newbie Virgin America offers power in every seat, plus 3,000 mp3s, and pay-per-view movies. If you’re flying overseas, well, lucky you–and be extra careful in choosing your carrier, as international airlines usually have more sophisticated inflight entertainment than domestic carriers, even in economy class.

Bon voyage. With some power planning you may arrive singing “We did it,” along with Dora the Explorer.