How often have you heard that you need to make time for a weekly date night with your spouse or partner? Yeah, bajillions of times, me too. But if you’re a busy mama like me, it’s not easy to find the time, money, or child care necessary to make date night happen regularly! Instead, here are 29 at home date night ideas for parents that are creative, super fun and realistic to pull off!
29 Fun at home date night ideas for parents, that your partner will actually want to do! Creative ways to spend time together after the kids have gone to bed. No babysitter? No problem! These stay at home date ideas will help build connection and affection between you without having to stress about how the kids are doing. Romantic DIY dates for married couples.
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If you’re wondering, yes that is me and my wonderful husband in the photo above. No stock images of cheesy happy couples here! Just the real deal!
(Our photo was taken by Shaeline Faith Photography during a family photo session. She was awesome 🙂 )
In our province we are currently in our 2nd big lockdown situation. Opportunities to leave the house for a date are non-existent.
But on top of that, we have kids. And we’ve never really had access to a babysitter.
We have a few people we could ask if it were an emergency, and we try to take advantage if the grandparents come into town. But otherwise we’ve been on our own since the boys were born.
Plus, let’s face it, going out can be darn expensive. ESPECIALLY if you have to pay for a babysitter on top of the evening’s activities.
With all this mind, I realized we needed some new ways to reconnect and have some fun together that wasn’t just collapsing in front of the tv in an exhausted heap at the end of the day.
I started doing some research and quickly realized that most of the at home date ideas out there were pretty lame. Or lacked the links to resources to make the idea realistic for busy parents.
So I rounded up as many of the most fun, cost-effective and done-for-you ideas that I could find.
Parents desperately need to connect, what they don’t need is extra work to make that connection happen.
So here are some awesome ideas to have some fun as a couple without adding to your mental load. 🙂
At Home Date Night Ideas for Parents
1. Date Night in a Box
Themed monthly date nights in a box shipped right to your door. What could be easier?!
Each box contains activities & games, snacks, table talking points, recipes and more.
Past themes have included the roaring 20s, an 80s throwback and a dancing theme.
2. Build a Living Room Fort & Project a Movie
Or you could set up a tent and hang some twinkle lights. Get creative and make it super cozy! Pair this idea with the Bingo idea in #24 and the Charcuterie idea in #6.
3. Baking Challenge
We loved watching the Great Canadian Baking Show! (Who doesn’t love Dan Levy?! Exactly.) Challenge yourselves in a similar fashion to bake something tricky or that you’ve never heard or only using ingredients in your cupboard. Pop on to Pinterest and search “baking challenge” or “tricky things to bake” and pick something that looks delicious!
4. Game of Read My Mind
This is a fun game to test how well you know each other!
5. Chocolate or Cheese Tasting (but pick unusual flavours!)
Pick a selection of flavours you wouldn’t normally try like a chili dark chocolate bar or a fennel gouda cheese. You could even to a blind taste test and make your partner guess the flavours!
6. Charcuterie Board Competition (make one for each other)
Find out how well you know each other, in terms of snack foods anyway! Create a charcuterie plate of foods your partner loves to nibble on.
7. Clay Kit for 2
All the materials you need to make a pair of adorable gnomes!
8. Mini Golf Course Building
My husband did this with his colleagues at work once and he loved it! Adapt the idea for date night by just using things from around the house, like cups and cardboard boxes or the kid’s lego, and create a fun mini golf obstacle course either indoors or out.
9. Waffle or Sundae Bar
Date night is the perfect excuse to indulge in a waffle bar. Get all the fixings and treat yourselves!
Or have someone else do the assembly work for you with an ice cream sundae kit like this one.
10. Star Gazing + Cozy Blankets
If you happen to have a pickup truck, then this is your moment to shine! Fill it up with an air mattress and loads of pillows and blankets for a romantic trip to the driveway! Don’t forget to make a yummy cup of hot chocolate too.
11. Dessert Exchange (team up with other couples)
If it is safe to do so, (re: covid restrictions in your area) make a big batch of dessert and portion it out to swap with other couples. Then go back home and enjoy your dessert buffet!
Alternatively, each couple could take on 1 course in a meal that way you all have a huge 4 course feast!
12. Look at Old Photos
Ok, I know this one sounds a little lame. But trust me. When you start going down memory lane, remembering your wedding day or when the kiddos were tiny babes, or that one time you took an awesome vacation, it can really build connection.
13. Portrait Painting Date Night
This ‘Together Box’ includes all the supplies you need (+ a drink and snack) to each paint a masterpiece!
14. Bonfire & S’mores
Once the kids are in bed, you can bust out the good s’more cookies that you’ve been hiding! Elevate the experience with personalized s’more sticks and a selection of spooky campfire stories.
15. Blind-Folded Drawing
This could be soooo funny! You could do portraits of each other, or a mountain scape or an alien abduction. Endless possibilities for a laugh!
Edit to say that we did this for date night this week and nearly died laughing so hard. It was so fun!
16. Scavenger Hunt
Design your own hunt that ends in a romantic picnic like this one, or find something pre-made for you like these printables.
17. Poetry-Themed Night
Use the free downloads from this post to help you write a poem for your sweetheart. You could go the heartfelt & romantic route, but if you’re like me and my mister, you can go silly & hilarious!
18. Date Night Mad Libs
Write a hilarious story with this mad libs printable for date night.
19. ‘Chopped’ Date Night
Another food-related challenge. But let’s be honest, all dates need a food portion part of the evening. This ‘Chopped’ themed date night will encourage a little friendly competition!
20. Learn a New Hobby
Head to youtube and find some videos to help you learn a new hobby or skill that you’re both interested in.
Like magic tricks!
Or chess, or playing Stairway to Heaven on guitar, or a new language.
Origami, Tai Chi, photography or how in the world the stock market works!
How to make sourdough, or paint watercolours, swing dancing or plumbing.
Ok, I’ll stop now. lol
21. Murder Mystery (Clean Version)
This shop has a variety of murdery games to choose from. I like this one because it’s ‘clean’ and can be played with kids or teens too. Also if you play with other couples, it’s nice to have a ‘clean’ game so everyone feels comfortable.
22. Minute to Win it Games
So much silliness. This post describes some really fun minute to win it games to play with your spouse or family.
23. Escape Room Game
I’ve been dying to try an escape room, this game might be my chance! (I told my husband about this one and he goes “our entire life is an escape room right now” hahaha, we are in lockdown and basically can’t leave the house.)
24. Romantic Comedy Movie Bingo
This shop also has a bingo version for horror movie or fantasy movies. Or if you have really little ones, try this bedtime bingo game I designed!
25. Ugly Sweater Decorating Competition
You may need to go to the thrift store to pick up a couple of base sweaters. Then, using what you have in the house, try to craft the ugliest sweater possible! Electrical tape, Christmas garland, sparkle paint, and lots of tassels for example. Don’t forget to pick a prize for the winner.
26. Blind Taste Tests – Be Bold!
Each of you shops for the craziest things you can find in the grocery store. Check the international section, or the health food section and pick some things with wild flavours you’ve never tried before. Then blindfold your spouse and make them guess what they’re eating!
27. Couple-opoly
A free and customizable board game for couples. 🙂
28. Visit a City (in a Box)
Go on a road trip without leaving your living room! This shop also has a Paris and Italy themed box in addition to this Amsterdam box. Boxes contain treats, art, recipes and more for a fun themed date night!
29. Scratch Off Adventures Book – Couples Edition
This one is kind of a bonus idea because it’s technically just another list of ideas! Haha. Each book is filled with date night ideas, but they remain a mystery until you scratch to reveal them! There is a section for a photo and a journal entry documenting your date so you have a lovely keepsake for years to come.
(The only catch is I don’t know if all the ideas contained in the book are stay-at-home friendly.)
Bonus Idea: Nerf Gun War
I really like this idea but I didn’t include it in the official list because if you’ve got kiddos in bed during date night, you’re not going to risk waking them up by running around shooting at each other. lol. But if the right opportunity came up, or you could do it outside, this would be lots of fun!
That’s it! I’m all out of ideas!
But please, if you have a great idea for an at home date night for parents, drop it in the comments!
Have a nice date!
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