With the stressors of work, children and other professional and personal obligations, having a night out with your significant other can be a challenge. Tack on a global pandemic and the colder weather (in some areas), and finding time for a night out is a huge challenge, might even seem impossible. Having the time and space for alone time and date nights with your partner takes time and effort to plan, especially with so many other obligations!
However, there are ways to plan a date night even for the busiest couple! If you can’t plan a night out, there are lots of ways to do date night in. Make sure you start out with spending some time together . . . without phones and television present. Below are a few ideas of creative and fun ways to plan an in-home date night:
Fireside Chats: Consider investing in some conversation cards or download an app, we like this one. Spend some time with one another choosing questions and sharing thoughts with one another, even if just for a few moments. This allows you to continue to learn more about your partner, share more deeply about your experiences, and grow together.
Coffee Date: Coffee, tea, wine, bring your drink of choice! Sit down by your fire, set a virtual fire using Netflix or Youtube, find a space on your porch or another cozy spot in your house. Whether indoors or outdoors, finding a space where you feel relaxed can allow for deep conversations as well. Add some pillows or a different chair to simulate feeling more like you are “away” from home.
Sleepover: Most of us aren’t getting a change of scenery and sometimes that’s all you need to feel more positive. Invite your partner on a sleepover or campout in your living room or backyard. Grab some marshmallows, plan to share scary stories, any activity that brings you and your partner joy.
Write Your Love Story: Sit down and talk out your love story. Take turns writing sentences or events crucial to the building of your relationship and see what each of you selects! We like this site to turn your book into a reality! You can even share it with your kids as they get older!
Dinner Date: Start off trying out a new recipe you both decide on together. Or each of you take a turn choosing the new recipe of the week. You get the experience of cooking together and having a meal together . . . how often do we get to do that? After you’re finished cooking, really turn it into a date night. Get dressed up and set your table. Add some candles for some ambiance and focus on being together. Even if you aren’t out, having that space to connect, free of distractions is so important!
Plan a fake vacation: Choose a destination and plan a trip as if you and your partner were actually traveling to a new place. This might feel a bit strange however, it’s actually a perfect “date” activity because you can plan an exotic trip that potentially you could take in the future, while also planning things you might never consider due to fears, financial constraints, time limits or other reasons.
“Walk Down Memory Lane”: Look through wedding photos or re-watch your wedding video together. Having the time and space to relive this important moment allows you both to relive positive moments, share favorite moments, and recall these together. Easy and romantic!
Game Night: Plan a game night; take turns choosing the games. Another great way to allow time together. Here are some we like.
Go “Out” for a Night of Dancing: While we can’t go out art present and the idea of a packed nightclub doesn’t sound so fun right now, create your own nightclub at home. Add some lights or candles to your living space, spend some time researching and creating cocktails or mocktails for one another, and tune into some live stream DJ sets (like The Wildcat Lounge in Santa Barbara, California). There are so many to choose from at present, you can even select a theme for each week of the type of music you’re looking for. Many musicians are also doing virtual concerts, so if dancing isn’t your thing, you can still relax with one another and see your favorite musicians perform.
“Create a “Bucket List”: While we can’t do much outside of our homes at present, this might give you and your partner a new perspective on what you want to do in the future, as well as what you miss doing together. Plan a date night where you sit down together and think about the things you really want to do together, and individually, as the world starts to open up.
Whatever you choose, planning fun date nights allow you to reconnect with your partner, even if you can’t leave home.
References: