When was the last time you went on a date with your husband? How often should parents have date night, anyway?
A huge commercial holiday is coming up where date nights are expected and candy will be exchanged. Are you ready?
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Last updated in January 2021.
Well, I know that as a parent, I’m not. Not that I’ve been a huge fan of Valentine’s Day specifically – I think we should make the effort to show our love and try to spend time with our spouse regularly, not because of a holiday. But sometimes you take what you can get, right?
And with kids? Making date night happen is not easy! But it’s important to find how to have a date night without a babysitter! I have listed and rounded up ideas for a fun date night with your spouse. You can use these ideas for the upcoming holiday, or any time of year!
Making time for Date Night
Set up an “us” time when the kids are asleep. Especially if your children have early bedtimes, you can really take advantage of that quiet time together on the weekends. You can really come up with a great list of ideas for an at-home date night ideas for parents. Provided your children sleep well, of course.
You should always have a list of fun and cheap date night ideas for parents you can pick from on any evening your kids are already sleeping or otherwise cared for.
Do you both have a day off work but daycare is still open? Send that toddler to daycare and have a movie day! The husband and I did that over the holidays and saw a double feature. It was so amazing to have some kid-free time.
Trade babysitting with a friend or neighbor. Maybe you have alternating weekends where you have a play date while the other couple gets some quality time together.
Otherwise, it might be a good idea to get a babysitter that you can call on to watch your kids so you can go out. Here’s more details on how to find childcare.
And if you’re separated by many miles, consider sending a long-distance date.
Then start a list of fun and easy date night ideas for tired parents.
Here are some great ideas for date night at home for breastfeeding parents and busy families.
Date Night Ideas for Parents
Now comes the fun part – this is where we find some date night ideas for parents.
Date Night Ideas at Home
There’s always the simple idea of rent a movie and snuggle on the couch. Sometimes a movie date night at home is my favorite.
Have a conversation date, asking each other questions. Try Our Moments conversation cards.
Here’s are some other great sets of conversation starters and date night card games:
- Deeper Connections: Card Game for Couples | 200 Meaningful Conversation Starters to Connect & Reconnect | Fun Conversation Cards for Couples to Improve Emotional Intimacy & Build Strong Relationships.
- Couple Connect – by USA Psychologist – 155 Conversation Starters and Thoughtful Activities – Improve Mindfulness, Communication, Romance and Trust – Card Game for Adults
- The Ultimate Game for Couples – Great Conversations and Fun Challenges for Date Night – Perfect Romantic Gift for Couples
- Eat Play Love – 52 Date Night Ideas: Romantic Couples Games, Questions and Activities for Strong Relationship
- Fun and Romantic Game for Couples: Date Night Box Set with Conversation Starters, Flirty Games and Cool Dares – Choose from Talk, Flirt or Dare Cards for 3 Games in 1 – Lovely Gift!
- Spread the Love guided conversation or meditation cards from Love Is Project – a fun and mindful journey into introspection, connection, and greater understanding of oneself and the world around you.
Play some board games. Seriously game nights are fun and there are plenty of two-person player games.
Or play a video game together, especially if your spouse is a gamer! We had such a fun time playing these on the PlayStation.
Cook for each other, together. Bonus points if it is a brand new recipe for you. A fun DIY date night!
Order delivery and have a relaxing no-cook night.
Enjoy a bouquet of jerky flowers together!
Learn something new together – a virtual class on a topic of interest.
Put on some slow music and dance together in the living room.
Go on a pretend date out – get dressed up, mix drinks at home, and enjoy each other’s company by candlelight. Or out on your lanai by your fire pit.
Find a virtual escape room and solve the puzzles together.
Or do some Unsolved Case Files together and play detective.
Pun on some lingerie and see where the evening takes you 😉
Set up some relaxing and romantic lighting with this Smart Galaxy Star Projector and gaze up at the stars from inside your home.
Date Night Ideas Out
Or get all dressed up and go see a play at the fancy theater in town.
Do a scavenger hunt around your town based on the season or a specific topic.
Go to the drive-in movies if you have one near you. Or a regular movie theater will do.
Go to a museum.
Go for a walk around your neighborhood. Maybe talk about what you like about each neighbor’s yard. See if their Christmas decorations are still up!
Go to the park and walk a trail. Don’t forget to pack a picnic!
Go camping if you like, and have overnight child care.
Go to a local festival. My area is always doing one festival or another, it is awesome!
If you’re in a splurging mood, get a couples massage!
Go to a local coffee shop, bonus points if it’s a small mom and pop rather than a chain.
Do a dinner out at a nice new restaurant, or even a progressive dinner – where you start with appetizers at one place, the main course at another, and finish with a different restaurant for dessert.
The classic dinner and a movie to catch the latest flick.
If your children are at grandma’s, get a hotel for the night, and enjoy all the hotel services (spa, pool, room service, etc).
These are all great fun ideas for parents date night!
Here are some more amazing date night ideas from lovely bloggers I follow:
- My Koala Pouch shares date ideas for when you’re stuck at home with kids.
- 20 date night ideas that don’t require going out by Gen Pink
- Try DateBox (review by She’s the Honest Mom)
- 17 Inexpensive date night ideas from the Girl Outnumbered
- 25 fun date ideas that don’t break the bank and how to make date night happen after kids from Confessions of Parenting
- 20 fun stay at home date night ideas from Easy Mommy Life
- Practical and easy Valentine’s day ideas for busy parents from Love Life Laugh Motherhood
- Creative date night ideas after having kids, from Professional Momma
>>Check out my Date Night Pinterest board for more ideas!
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What date nights do you have planned?
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Tracy Albiero says
We have date night at a local place after we drop off our kiddo to her practice. This is every Saturday so we make the best use of it. Sometimes it is just an appy and drinks and other times we will have a meal. Great time for us. #trafficjamweekend
Keyona |professionalmomma says
It used to be hard for me to send my daughter to daycare when I was off of work. Fortunately for me, I no longer feel guilty about it and she actually enjoys going.
We haven’t taken advantage of daycare days for date though, but we definitely will try that next time!!!
Nikki Crump says
That is awesome that everything is bundle up and you can get it in one place.