How can you prepare for a longer airplane flight with children?

Taking longer airplane flights with children can be stressful.  With some planning you can alleviate some of the stress and keep yourself and your children ready for the journey.  In preparation for your trip make sure that you cover the basics of food, hydration, entertainment and comfort.  Food: While most longer flights will offer refreshments, not all flights have full meal options available.  Prepare by eating a meal before getting on the plane and by packing a range of snack options for you and your children.  Hydration:  You will likely be served refreshments and drinks several times during longer flights.  However you will likely find that you will need to bring additional water and drink options to ensure proper hydrations, especially on very long flights. Entertainment:  You want to make sure that your children can engage in plenty of activities on long flights.  Most airlines will provide for games, movies and music options via on board entertainment.  However, you want to make sure you supplement by bringing additional entertainment options for your children.  Comfort:  Your plane can be too cold or too warm for your preferences, so be prepared for both scenarios.