10 At-Home Date Night Ideas for Couples With Little Ones
The key lesson for planning at-home date night ideas when you have children is that it doesn’t have to be huge, it just has to feel different and that loving effort has been put in. Romance, intimacy, and connection are in the knowledge that you both WANT to spend time together feeling connected.
So, these are my top home date night ideas for when you are in that season of life where everything feels exhausting and the effort you have left for each other at the end of the day feels low.
1. A Dinner Date at Home
This felt achievable and worth the effort when my daughter was going to bed and not when she was at the stage where she was still hanging out with us in the evening. Sitting at the table bouncing a baby on your knee probably isn’t the best date night to choose this season! I would do bedtime and my partner would cook. Initially, we would get to the eating part and couldn’t be bothered to set the table properly or might just eat it on the sofa together BUT when we did bother it made such a difference to how it felt. We lit some candles and chose some French jazz (we never listen to this) and I genuinely felt different. As though a small part of me was sitting in a jazz restaurant in Paris. Tiny tweaks were all it took to make this feel special. You can go all out with this, decorate, dress up, and have very fancy food, wine, etc, or keep it small and concentrate on the thoughtful details that make it seem different from your standard night.
2. A Date Night Subscription Box
This was so much more fun than I thought it was going to be. Everything is taken care of for you. Each box comes with a guide and instructions on how to complete the activities inside. Before you sign up for a full subscription box shop around a little bit. Most subscriptions allow you to buy one-off boxes and then if you find one that you like you can make it a regular thing. Put some nostalgic music on and away you go. Having the date organized lessened so much of the mental load for both me and my partner.
3. At Home Movie Night
I am not normally a huge fan of this. When we are both so tired and we just sit and watch a movie together it can sometimes feel a bit disconnected. I find choosing a movie overwhelming and often one of us will fall asleep. BUT when we put the effort in and found a way to make it feel more connected it was such a relaxing cup filler. Make sure you take the time to make a cozy setup. Aesthetics do matter as it helps with the release of oxytocin – the love chemical. Think snuggly blankets, fairy lights, etc. The key for us was choosing movies from our childhoods. We each got a turn choosing a movie we loved and sharing that joy chatting and laughing about why we loved it so much and the impact it had on us helped the feeling of closeness.
4. An Actual Home Movie Night
This is probably my favorite at-home date night. Create the same set-up as above but watch all the little video clips that you have taken over the years. The ones of you as a couple before children and the ones you have taken of your children. Reliving memories together is a lovely way to feel close.
5. Organize a Couples Game Night
It’s important to tailor this to your relationship. Don’t choose a knights and dragons-based game if you are more of a twister couple! There are so many games out there designed for two people; detective games, strategy games, card games, silly games, or spicy valentines themed couples games. Choose a range of games, relax and let go, and enjoy being silly and relaxed with one another. Be careful though as it can get very competitive! Get creative with your games, even simple games such as Would You Rather can create so much laughter and connected conversation.
6. Make Sushi Together
This is such a fun creative easy date. You can hang out together in the kitchen – YouTube different sushi rolls to make and prepare a feast together.
7. Watch a Comedy Gig Together
Make sure your phones are off to avoid distractions and choose a comedian you both find funny. There’s nothing worse than one of you finding it hilarious and the other struggling to even crack a smile. Create a special setup and set an interval time for toilet breaks and snack replenishment. Belly laughter is good for the soul and sharing jokes for weeks afterward helps that feeling of connectedness last.
8. Create an At-Home Spa Day
Pop on your robes – run a steaming bath. If there’s only room for one in the bath get creative with other spa activities. Make a face mask together or heat some oil and give each other a massage. Save this date for when you feel like you have the energy and effort to pour into it though. Trying to conjure up the energy to create an atmospheric at-home spa day and offer your partner a massage after a long day of parenting can be exhausting.
9. Do Some Couples Yoga
Pop on a diffuser to create the atmosphere, find a YouTube couples yoga video and laugh at how inflexible you are together. Or if you are after a slower more sensual yoga practice there are lots of couples yin yoga, meditations, or stretching practices.
10. Dream about Your Bucket List Together
Your brain produces the same mood-boosting chemicals when planning a trip as when going on one. Bonding together over future vacations you want to take as a family is a lovely, connected activity. This is one of my favorite activities. I love dreaming with my partner about the campervan and road trips that will hopefully one day be part of our lives.
I hope these date night ideas are useful. Home dating can be such a beneficial part of relationships when you have children but take the pressure of creating perfect Instagram-worthy situations and focus on putting small amounts of thoughtful loving effort in!
