For the first year or so of my son’s life, he was very, very clingy and refused to go to anyone but me. As a result, going out for a traditional date night was pretty much out of the question for quite some time. (The one time we DID try to go out, we got the call to come get him before the food even arrived…)
Luckily for us–and for you!–it is possible to have a fun and romantic date night without even leaving the house. Whether your children are little, you don’t have a sitter or money is tight right now–you no longer have an excuse. Here are 16 at-home date night ideas you and your honey are sure to love!
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1. Have a Video Game Marathon
For a fun and energetic date night, bust out the old video games and enjoy some friendly competition. Work together to complete the levels, or battle it out for a prize of your choosing.
2. Watch a Movie
Of course, if you’re tired after a long day of caring for a fussy baby, date night doesn’t have to be complicated. Why not pop in movie you both love and snuggle up on the couch with some popcorn? My husband and I watched this movie recently, and it was really good!
3. Go Online Shopping
Do you need to finish your Christmas shopping? Do you have a birthday coming up? Do you just love shopping? Shop from home right from your computer. Get another item crossed off your to-do list, have fun pretend shopping for items you could never afford, or have a contest to see who can find the most ugly and ridiculous items possible!
4. Snuggle Up Under the Stars
Or, if it’s a warm night, why not take the party outside? Snuggle up on a blanket in the backyard and enjoy the stars. The peace and quiet will be so relaxing.
5. Cook a Fancy Dinner Together
Tired of eating chicken nuggets and corn? Feed the kids early, and save the fancy dinner for you and your sweetie after the kids are in bed. Steaks, lobster, lamb chops… make it as much of a feast as you can afford! Don’t forget dessert as well.
6. Have a Picnic Indoors
Sure, a picnic at the park would be nicer, but sometimes as parents, you just have to make do. Spread out a blanket on the living room floor and enjoy all your favorite finger foods. It’ll be fun!
7. Get to Know Each Other All Over Again
Remember back in your dating days when you could talk and get to know each other for hours and hours? Even if you knew all the answers to each others’ questions, those answers have probably changed. Get to know each other all over again with a book like this one: 1001 Questions to Ask Before You Get Married. Your answers might just be eye-opening.
8. Play Cards
My husband and I used to play the card game, Speed. It’s a very fast moving game that requires very little time or set-up, and it’s perfect for two players. If you don’t know how to play, click here to find instructions for how to play Speed.
9. Read to Each Other
Reading is very relaxing–even more so when you read to each other. Snuggle up in front of the fireplace if you have one, pull out a book you will both enjoy, and take turns reading aloud to each other. If you’re looking for a good book recommendation, I highly recommend this one–it’s a must read for every married couple! I just read it myself lately, and it was phenomenal!
10. Take a Bubble Bath Together
If your bath tub is big enough, a couple bubble bath is the perfect romantic at-home date night idea. If it’s on the small side, you could take turns giving each other a bath or just take a shower together. Don’t forget the bubble bath kit for ultimate relaxation!
11. Play Couples Minute to Win It
This is one at-home date night you could actually do with just the two of you OR with friends. If you’ve seen the show, you know how it works. This article by The Dating Diva has several great Couples Minute to Win It Game Ideas for you to try.
12. Write Out Your Bucket Lists
You may be stuck at home tonight, but you won’t be forever. What do you hope to do someday? Make your lists and compare them.
13. Recreate Prom Night
I don’t know about your prom, but mine was absolutely awful. I wish I would have known my husband then so I could have gone with him instead. Since I can’t–the next best thing is to recreate prom night at home! Dress up in your fanciest clothes, put on great music, and slow dance in the living room all night long!
14. Take a Virtual Vacation
No money or time to take a real vacation right now? Why not take a virtual one? Paula offers all the details on how to have a romantic virtual vacation here.
15. Have a Make-Out Party (for two, of course)
When’s the last time you and your husband really kissed? Not a quick peck on the cheek as one of you rushes out the door, but really kissed? If it’s been too long, it’s time to fix that. Cut right to the chase and have a make-out party! (You’re married. It’s allowed.)
16. Sing Karaoke
You don’t need to go out to a bar to sing karaoke. Just look up some karaoke hits on YouTube. Take turns belting out your favorite tunes or serenading each other with cheesy love songs. Singing into a is brush optional, but highly recommended. 🙂
When’s the last time you had an at-home date night? How many of these 16 ideas have you tried already? Which would you love to try next?
We’ve never tried home dates… Next year I plan to implent them more we both just work at home way to much the projects and working have to slow down in 2015. Thanks for the ideas
I bet you have done them, you just don’t call them “dates.” (I call everything a date–it’s the only way to have them with young kids, lol! Going to Lowe’s? It’s a date! 🙂 ) Do you have little ones yet? I forget. Do you both work from home?
Those are all very cheap idea for date nights. I wish we had more of them.
Well, now you can! I bet your husband wishes he could have more date nights with you too 🙂
We’ve done several of these. Reading to each other used to be one of our favorites; we should do that again. The Minute to Win It games sound interesting. I have to say, though, with kids around (at least with the ages and stages of ours!) some of these just won’t work for us . . . but I’m sure they’re perfect for somebody else.
Well, the idea was after the kids go to bed 🙂 But if only some of them work, that’s okay too! No one says you have to do them all! 😉
Of course! At our house right now, going to bed is not synonymous with going to sleep . . . different things for different seasons. And all good ideas whether I can use them or not.:)
One thing we did when we had kids…..(empty nesters now)…—- actually our kids started this idea….we homeschooled, and so this just kind of flowed out of the play tea party stage to our grammer school age, a girl and a boy…they actually wanted to do a date lunch for us, so they fixed up a ” restaurant in the dinning room/ play area” and then asked for permission to fix us lunch. We were to both stay seated at our candle light table (which we had to light) while they worked then in the kitchen getting our dinner ready!
The neat part was that we loved that the idea came from them! They did it a handful of times, about once a year, but it also helped them to learn to cherish mom and dad’s relationship, so for us as parents it was a win-win situation.
That’s so sweet! 🙂
Fun ideas, Brittany! I love the idea to cook a fancy dinner after the kids go to bed. Steve and I love to cook together, but it rarely happens. Definitely making a point to try some of these!
Yeah, by the time our kids are in bed, we usually just collapse on the couch 🙂 That’s why it’s good to have a list of ideas–to get the creative juices flowing!
Great ideas! it can be so hard to unwind once the kiddos go to bed, but these are simple, cheap ideas! Thank you 🙂
Thanks, Gretchen! 🙂 And I totally know what you mean about having a hard time unwinding!
Spending a night telling stories / reminiscing with your partner about past life events can be lots of fun, particularly when you have old photos to share along with the stories as well!
Yes! That sounds awesome as well!
These are great ideas!! I plan on giving some of them a try,,,really appreciate you taking the time to write this wonderful post!
Thanks! I should get off the computer and go give some of them a try as well 🙂
I’m always on the look out for creative date ideas and since these are all ones you can do at home, that’s all the better! This is a constant struggle, especially for young couples with tight budgets. Thanks so much for sharing, Brittany!
Oh, I know the feeling! Thankfully date nights don’t have to be complicated to be fun!
Married 15 years. Two at home date nights in the last month. We put the air mattress on the porch and watched the stars and satellites. A second one was this weekend when we put on music and slow danced on the porch under the stars. I was surprised at how willing my husband was in both of these dates.
I DID go to prom with my Hubby (we’re high school sweethearts), but it would still be fun to recreate that night. 🙂 Great ideas here! We used to play card games together, too. I’ll have to consider these tonight rather than watching TV together (again).
awww, high school sweethearts 🙂 And yes, definitely good to break out of the TV rut! (We fall into that more often than we should)