Date nights are special as they’re an opportunity to show appreciation and take a break from things. They’re something beyond ordering take-out or going to a nice place and having dinner. They’re bold and creative and can rekindle passion for one another. But there is only so much that a couple can do for date nights before they get repetitive and that magic starts to disappear. On top of the restrictions of possibly kids, a busy schedule, and this pandemic amongst other things, you’ve probably exhausted every idea that you can think of.
In light of that, I wanted to give you some date night ideas that you might not have tried. These are perfect to try at home making it optimal for during the pandemic, but also after it too. Beyond that, these can save you a tonne of money and encourages you to be more resourceful with what you have.
1. Movie Night With A Twist
Debating over what to watch is especially tough these days, however there are some ways that you can make this more exciting. Some other ideas are closing your eyes and watch whatever you land on or flipping a coin to decide what to watch.
2. Cooking Night
Whether one or both of you have some cooking skills, there are all kinds of dishes that the two of you can make. You can stick to making favourite dishes, or maybe you can tackle a larger recipe together.
There are a tonne of recipes online to try out that provides fast and healthy recipes.
3. Game Night
Board games are another good at home date night ideas to try out. It’s also fairly inexpensive as well.
4. Lounge Room Picnic
Picnics are usually designed to be outdoors, however there is something nice about having them indoors as well. Pandemic aside, having a picnic indoors is nice as it removes having the elements involved. Not to mention you don’t have to avoid the bugs while indoors.
5. Massages
This is another cheap and intimate experience as all you’ll need is a towel and some oil. Having your significant other give you a massage is far less awkward as well since you’re not paying a stranger to rub down your body.
6. Video Game Marathon
There are a plethora of video games these days that allow co-operative versions. Some games will make you compete against one another or the two of you work as a team. Nonetheless video games are a fun way to bond with another. There is bound to be a game out there that you and your partner will enjoy.
7. Rom-Coms Marathon
While these movies are cheesy and so predictable, there is something about them that is entertaining to watch. Put together a nice little playlist and to create a nice romantic atmosphere at home to set the mood. From there you can order food, open a bottle of wine and cuddle up. If you’re not the type to get drunk, get a non-alcoholic wine that still suits the mood.
8. Have A Bake Off
Provided the kitchen is big enough, you can recreate a mock “Cupcake Wars” situation and try to impress one another with various baked goods. Even if by the end the bake off doesn’t make Pinterest-worthy posts, it’s still fun to do. Plus you have food you get to enjoy. You can pull some recipes from the internet.
9. Or A Paint-Off
Or instead of baking you can look at painting. You don’t need to have a large amount of art supplies using things like markers, crayons, watercolors, or even random pens that you’ve got lying around. In terms of competition, have each other draw the same still-life scene – this could be a fruit bowl or maybe a simple landscape.
You could even try drawing one another’s portraits.
10. Tackle A DIY Project
Whether the two of you are in an apartment or a home there is always some kind of project that could be done. Doesn’t always have to be something as big as renovating a part of a home or painting, but tackling it as a team makes it far more tolerable.
11. Clean Out The Closets
Organizing closets can be a struggle as we all have a tendency to hoard things over time. With not much else happening lately, one good project to do together is to go through one another closets and start cleaning things out, setting aside stuff you don’t need anymore while keeping some other things.
12. Make a Bucket List For the Next 10 Years
One great at home date night idea I love is making a bucket list for the next 10 years. For couples that have been together for even a short period of time or longer, outlining each other’s goals and desires is key to deepening the relationship. If you’re serious about the relationship, sharing each other’s goals is fantastic and what better way to share it than to have a bucket list for the next decade? Write them down and have a spot to remind you of them.
13. Play Some Drinking Games
While you won’t be able to really party like you used to, there are some pretty fun drinking games out there. Whether you want alcohol involved or not you can always play beer pong or flip cup on the kitchen table.
If you’ve got kids – or want no alcohol involved – you can keep it tame by using fruit juice or water.
14. Read Books Together
Whether it’s one person reading to the other or both of you reading in silence, there is something nice about curling up together and reading together in some fashion. While everyone has their own sense of taste in books, there are some books that are delightful to co-read.
15. Stargaze
While this is technically an outdoor activity you may still have an opportunity in various ways. If you own a home, you can easily head out into the yard and do this. For apartments, there are balconies or going to a non-public area if possible. That aside, stargazing is always a delight and it’s just fun to be in each other’s company and look up at the stars.
16. Work On a Difficult And Large Puzzle
There are so many puzzles out there for adults to work on and complete. The idea with this date night is to find a puzzle that’s complex enough and will take a while to complete.
17. Have a Deep Conversation
Deep conversations can begin in all kinds of ways. One easy way to get into them is to play sleepover games like Never Have I Ever and Truth or Dare. The answers that can stem from these can lead to some organic and deep conversations, pulling you away from the typical conversations you’re used to having.
18. Write Each other Love Letters
Sitting down with some paper and pens and writing out the various things you appreciate about one another. Even though love is complicated, there are usually several reasons for why you love one another and expressing that creates a stronger sense of intimacy.
19. Plan Out Future Dates
This pandemic – while long – isn’t going to last forever. Soon enough things will open back up and we’ll all be able to get out of the house and enjoy date night in other ways. In light of this, why not make some plans right now so you can prepare in advance?
20. DIY a Photo Booth
While they are a relic of the past, you can still create your very own photo booth. All you have to do is squeeze together in a tight space and snap away. You could use your phone to take burst shots.
Bottom Line
If you have such a busy life that you can’t do too many outdoor activities together, having a chance to do some fun stuff inside is always nice. I strongly encourage you to bookmark this article and refer back to it if you need a refresher.
Better yet, try some of these this weekend!