So you want to prioritize your marriage, but with little ones in the house it’s hard – if not impossible – to get out for regular date nights. The good news is that with a little bit of preparation, you can have really great quality time with your spouse at home. I’ve put together a list of 52 stay-in date night ideas for you and your spouse to do after the kids go down for bed!
52 ideas: that’s one for each week of the year…so you’ve got ONE FULL YEAR of stay-in date night ideas right here!
Here’s my recommendation: talk with your spouse and pick out a night of the week that will work best for your date nights. Try to pick a “lighter” day so that you have energy to spend with your spouse after the kids go down. Plan it out and divvy up responsibilities (maybe your husband gives the kids a bath while you clean up or he picks up dinner while you get the kids ready for bed, etc.).
Date nights don’t have to be long, they don’t have to be fancy, and they don’t have to be elaborate. This is just a set-aside time for you and your spouse to connect with each other and enjoy spending time together while your kids aren’t around!
Where applicable, I’ve included links with inspiration and ideas. Feel free to share with another couple who’s in need of a date night too!
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- How well do you know your spouse? Play the Newlywed Game
- Build a fort your childhood selves would be proud of
- Play a game: Boggle, Scrabble, Chess, Checkers, etc.
- Lay out a blanket in your backyard and star gaze (or if it’s daytime look at the clouds!). Learn some constellations.
- Work on a DIY project
- Bake a sweet treat
- Share your favorite memories of the past year
- Make a meal together
- At-home wine tasting: try different wines, cheeses, etc.
- Get lost in the blackhole of funny YouTube videos
- Dance party!
- Plan a dream vacation
- Make a family/couples bucket list
- Have a picnic in your backyard (or on your living room floor!)
- Do a YouTube workout video
- Do a MasterChef challenge: you each create your own appetizer, main course and dessert and have a taste testing!
- Make s’mores and tell scary stories
- Give each other head-to-toe massages
- Make your own ice cream
- Get up early, make some coffee and watch the sunrise
- Watch the sunset with some sangria
- Take a bath together
- Paint or color something
- Create a scavenger hunt for each other – place clues around the house with a special treat at the end!
- Write a story together
- Watch your wedding video/go through your wedding album
- Play charades
- Play truth or dare
- Get dressed up and do a photo session
- Read a book aloud (or listen to an audio book – which you can get for free on Hoopla! All you need is a library card.)
- Listen to a podcast. Our favorite is Serial.
- Order takeout and eat on the couch in your pajamas
- Play “would you rather?”
- Have a spa night
- Learn a new skill together (watch a YouTube tutorial or take an online Master Class)
- Have a fondue night
- Do a puzzle
- Create a photo album together
- Have a “culture night” where you make a cuisine from a different country, watch a film from that place, learn about that country, etc.
- Play an outdoor game: corn hole, croquet, horseshoes, etc.
- Set up a tent in your backyard (or your living room!) and camp out
- Have a water balloon/water gun fight
- Watch a sporting event
- Play a video game
- Have breakfast in bed (even if it’s nighttime!)
- Watch a comedy special (our favorite is anything by Jim Gaffigan)
- Movie in the living room (bring blankets and pillows, popcorn and candy, etc.)
- Go through this list of questions to ask each other
- Karaoke Night
- Plan a really fancy date night: find a restaurant/event you’re excited about, pick out your outfits, book a babysitter, etc.
- Plant/tend a garden
- Learn a few phrases of a new language
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Enjoy!
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