Date Night at Home Ideas
Marriage changes after bringing home your baby. Kids bring a new dynamic to your lives! You go from partners in crime to partners in parenting – and it can take a bit of time to work out the new dynamics. Which is where date night comes in.
Date night is crucial for your marriage - in all seasons but especially as new parents. Life is full with a baby and it’s so easy to get to the end of the day, exhausted, and collapse on the couch and not actually have an intentional moment with your partner.
Date night out is amazing and if you have a babysitter available, go for your life! But if you’re like me, and don’t have family nearby to babysit, so you’ve got to save those babysitter dates for the special occasions, it doesn't mean you have to skip date night! Enter: Date Night at Home.
At the end of the day, date night is about intentional time with your partner - really seeing them and talking and doing something fun together. It’s amazing if you can go out, but with some intentionality, you can fulfill the purpose of date night just as well at home.
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Here are my favorite Date Night at Home ideas:
1. Cheese and Wine
It’s a go-to for a reason… Who doesn’t love cheese? Grab some wine, grab some cheese, light some candles and enjoy each other’s company.
2. Movie Night
My husband and I used to love going to movies! We’ve seen every Marvel movie in the theater. We’re so committed to going to the movies that sometimes, if there’s a movie we really want to see, we’ll go see it on different nights.
As you can imagine, one of our favorite date nights is movie night at home! We turn off all the lights, make popcorn, and watch a new movie like we’re in the theater.
3. Board Game Night
I love a good board game. My husband and I can be really competitive so we love a good game of Scrabble. Grab your favorite board game, make some snacks, and enjoy date night!
4. Candlelit Dinner
An old standby but it is for a reason! After you put your little ones to bed, make a special dinner and enjoy some time together sitting at the table eating and chatting like you would at a restaurant. Maybe even leave the clean up until the next morning…
5. Backyard Smores
One of my favorite items is a little gas fire pit. Put your kids to bed, bring the baby monitor to the backyard, and pretend you are camping. There’s nothing like being outside with a fire to relax - and smores never fail.
6. Card Game Night
My husband and I love a good game of Uno. We’re pretty well-matched and it’s just pure fun. Grab your favorite card game and enjoy date night!
7. Video Game Night
After my first baby was born, my husband bought me a Nintendo Switch. I never thought I’d be a video game person, but my gosh do I love it. We have discovered a great shared enjoyment in playing video games together. Even if you wouldn’t normally play video games, if your partner loves video games, it’s worth giving it a go.
8. Tasting Party
One time my husband and I bought all the oreo types available on amazon and had a tasting date. It was fantastic. Some other tasting options: Smoothies, girl scout cookies, apples, cheese, chocolate… anything goes!
9. Spa Night
My husband discovered that he loved a home pedicure when we tried spa night at home. Put on your favorite movie and soak your feet in warm water and give yourself a pedicure. Or grab a face mask and give yourselves facials together.
10. Travel Theme Dinner Night
Dreaming of going to Italy? Watch a few youtube videos and make an Italian feast! Dreaming of going to Japan? Buy a donabe and make Japanese hot pot or curry. Wherever you’re dreaming of traveling, there is a youtube video with recipes for you. Plus, let’s be real, travel is all about the food anyway!
11. Wine Tasting at Home
Grab a wine tasting kit, a few bottles from the same region, a few bottles of the same variety from different regions, or even just a few bottles of wine you’ve never tried before. You might discover a new preference or even your new favorite!
12. Puzzle Night
I love a good puzzle. The Ravensburger puzzles are the best quality (I became a puzzle connoisseur in 2020). Grab a puzzle, put on a movie, and put it together, together.
13. Dessert Night
When I was pregnant, I had a crazy sweet tooth. Imagine a tasting platter of desserts. Who wouldn’t love this? If you’re a young Martha Stewart, go for your life baking but if you’re like me, pick up some dessert options at your local grocery store and enjoy some time together trying new foods!
14. Binge Your Favorite Show
How is this a date night option and not just what you do every night? intentionality! My husband and I binged Stranger Things but intentionally - no devices. We even got special snacks and made it a thing!
15. Build a Fort
We got the Nugget Couch for our son recently. It’s currently used mostly for blocking our living room so H can’t get to things he shouldn’t. One day we’ll use it as intended… It’s also the perfect starting point for building a fort! Channel your inner child and build a fort with your partner!
What about you - what’s your favourite date night at home?
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