As I surveyed women about their marriages, the one thing that was absolutely, without fail the most mentioned advice was keep the date nights!
Yes, it is hard, but our priorities indicate that even with small children, busy schedules, and lack of ideas we should still make every effort to ensure that we are spending quality one-on-one time together.
To be transparent, Mark and I have always struggled with making date nights a priority. Our entire marriage has been made up of one transition after another. We’ve moved four times in less than four years of marriage. (Update: we’ve moved yet again and are in the process of a SECOND move since writing this!)
Mark has changed jobs three times and completed his masters degree (Update: He quit his corporate job altogether and now we’re a work at home family).
We’ve started a couple small businesses (you’re reading one of them). Birthed a baby. Now another one. Housed a twenty year old. Served as community coordinators for an apartment complex. Lost a fish. Killed a few plants. And picked up photography. Just to name a few things. 😉
If you’re wondering … yes, we are crazy, weird, and very passionate. Shew!
The point is, in all of that craziness, date nights easily fall by the wayside. However, they shouldn’t.
Recently, we’ve changed that. We have instituted a weekly date night – Monday nights. We’re not in a position where we can go “out,” but we can stay in (our home is our favorite place to be anyway), and make each other a priority.
We close down the computers, the phones, and maybe even the lights. We make a nice dinner, put our kids to bed early, and just spend time together. We talk, we read, we play dodge ball in the living room, we pull out a board game, we sword fight, and we hide toothbrushes when it’s time for bed (note: we do not do all of those things in one evening!). We love being married, and on Mondays, we intentionally spend time together without any other distractions!
To help us keep date nights a priority, I have put together a list of ideas for us to draw from each week. Maybe you’ll pick up a few tips, and share a few of yours in the comments?!
21 At Home Date Night Ideas
1. Have a picnic (either outside or inside).
2. Turn our dining room into a dining destination.
3. Watch a wholesome movie on Netflix. We actually enjoy documentaries.
4. Read a book together (or a book series).
5. Play dodge ball in the living room. You thought I was kidding up there …
6. Light candles around the room and sip wine together.
7. Get into an intense javelin fight on the Wii. Talk about getting your heart rate up.
8. Spa night.*
9. Sit around a bonfire outside with hot chocolate.
10. Lay under the stars and talk.
11. Loveopoly.*
12. Secret Agent Love Mission.*
13. Start a game tournament. One year, we had Yahtzee
14. Watch a TV series together. We got so addicted to LOST last year, and this year we’re into 24.
15. Turn your outdoor patio into a dining destination (complete with table cloth and candles).*
16. Make homemade ice cream together.*
17. Play a little one-on-one in the driveway (basketball, I mean).
18. Take skiing lessons in the living room (complete with goggles and mittens). Or just go skiing!
19. Play the Newlywed Game.*
20. Play hide-and-seek…in the dark.
21. Play hop scotch in the driveway.*
Other times, we just want to go out. So, we find a babysitter, and we hit the town.
21 Date Night on the Town Ideas
1. Bookstore Challenge. By far one of our favorite date nights ever.
2. Frisbee Golf with a Twist.*
Source: www.thedatingdivas.com via Leigh Ann on Pinterest
3. Take a bike ride together.
4. Walk through a local botanical garden while holding hands.
5. Swing on the swings at the park.
6. Go on the same date you had the night your man asked you to marry him.
7. Hit balls at the driving range.
8. Go to a drive-in movie.
9. Take a hike. Really. Take a hike and take turns taking pictures of what you see.
10. Go to dinner at your favorite restaurant, then play cards at the park.
11. Pick berries at your local farm.
12. Take an art class together.
13. Go canoeing together.
14. Ice Skating in your town square.*
15. Order gargantuan size ice creams and eat it all.
16. Get really dressed up (maybe even formal attire) and go to a local coffee shop. Act like you just came back from a very important event.*
17. Take a ride on a bicycle … built for two.*
18. Go to the dollar store and each pick out a gift for the other.
19. Garage sale date.* Kind of like a scavenger hunt.
20. Take a dinner cruise.
21. Go to a jazz club.
*want to try this
Now, it’s your turn. What is your favorite date night activity?
Consider taking my 21-day prayer challenge for your marriage! When you do, you’ll get a FREE printable of 52 questions to ask on date night! Enter your email address below to get started (or find out more here)!
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Date Night In: Turn Your Dining Room Into a Dining Destination
Janice J
February 15, 2012 at 9:55 amTOTALLY printing out this list… and taping it to Mr. Wonderful’s mirror!!
Leigh Ann
February 17, 2012 at 7:14 pmOh, you’ll have to let me know what he things? 🙂
Tina Sage
November 23, 2015 at 10:41 pmWe like to go to dinner and a play at a place called Murrys Playhouse in Little Rock Arkansas but I’m sure that there are many others like it.
Dianne@Baking4Six
February 15, 2012 at 11:59 amTwo years ago my husband and I planned 2 date nights (one for our boys/one for our girls). We took the boys to see a Harlem Globetrotters game – I had always wanted to see them “live” ever since I can remember. We too the girls to see “Wicked” — LOVED, LOVED, LOVED going to that – the show was good and was surprised by the story. (We had never before or since purchased event/show tickets to anything for our children/family – so it was a big deal — even tho’ the children were with us, it still felt like a date – but even better because we shared the memory with our children.) —
Date Night #6 reminded me that – We took our girls out to dinner at the place where we had our first date, got engaged and celebrated after our wedding reception… (yes, the SAME place for all 3 events) — it was sort of a mistake because the place is now a run-down, dumpy place. We were so very excited to share the place with our girls – telling them cute stories of our romance – instead we were all grossed out, haha
Leigh Ann
February 17, 2012 at 7:13 pmThat’s a great story, Dianne! Thanks for sharing. We go out family date nights sometimes too! 🙂
Anonymous
February 16, 2012 at 8:15 amI LOVE these ideas! Always looking for free and cheap date ideas.
Jeri Lynn
February 17, 2012 at 4:59 pmSOUNDS FABULOUS! My husband and I started in 2010… 10 things to do in 2010, 11 things to do in 2011, and now 12 things to do in 2012. Some of the things my husband listed to do, so simple, and I would have never guessed on my own. I like your ideas. Really it’s not always what you do or how much you spend to do it, what matters most is that you are doing something together. enjoying each other=priceless!
Leigh Ann
February 17, 2012 at 7:11 pmThat’s a great idea, Jeri Lynn! We might have to adopt that one. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Pussywillow
August 5, 2012 at 5:06 amWe’ve tried a lot of at-home, cheap creative dates (that’s how our blog got started), but keep coming back to this one as our favorite:
http://domestichurch.wordpress.com/2010/08/07/lets-go-bonkers/. It’s a great way to reconnect! Wish we could get the Bonkers board game back in print (it’s a lot of fun even when played “normally”), but we *have* been able to find used copies to give away to friends–with our special cards ;).
Blessings!
Leigh Ann
August 5, 2012 at 7:22 pmWhat fun! Thanks for sharing!
Ted Evans
May 31, 2013 at 1:47 amAwesome post! I’ll definitely try some of those the next time we setup a date night. The last date night we had was something simple. What we miss the most since having a kid and getting too wrapped up with the other parts of our lives is the time to just sit together and watch the world go by. We do this next to the pier or at the park or even at the restaurant window. I know it sounds boring but there is nothing like just sitting with your partner and being with each other. No talking just being alone with each other in a sea of people.
Ted Evans recently posted…Study: Best Cities for Innovation
The Dating Divas
July 31, 2013 at 10:37 amJust wanted you to know that you were featured in our ULTIMATE Date Idea Round-up today! http://www.thedatingdivas.com/romantic-rendezvous/101-date-idea-round-ups-the-ultimate-date-night-list/ Thanks for sharing your date ideas! XOXO, The Dating Divas
Leigh Ann
July 31, 2013 at 2:19 pmWonderful! Thanks for letting me know!
Ashley @ Joyful Thrifty Home
September 20, 2013 at 9:34 amGreat list! My husband and I need to schedule more regular date nights. One of my favorite dates is to just be outside somewhere. We went to a beach town about 45 minutes away a couple of times over the summer. We aren’t really the type to swim or lay on the beach for hours but I love being close to the water and just walking around town. The sunsets are gorgeous too!
Trish
May 18, 2014 at 8:49 pmThank you so much for this. My husband and I plan to schedule regular date nights but with 4 children, I really appreciate the at home ideas! We have been separated and are getting back together, stronger and more in love than ever before thanks to the grace of our amazing God! I am so excited to do some of these great ideas.
Leigh Ann Dutton
May 18, 2014 at 9:00 pmOh that’s so wonderful! Thanks for sharing! We love the at-home date nights as well. 🙂
Mary Beth McKay
August 15, 2014 at 5:21 amI LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these ideas!! My husband and I went from newlyweds to parents of 3 in 4 years (no multiples) so Date Night went out the window very quickly and neither one of us is very creative in the romance department so I love these ideas! I can’t wait to try the spy mission scavenger hunt, we are both in the Army and I think it will be a totally fun way to have him hunt his birthday presents next week!! I am so excited to try all of these!! Thanks for all your fantastic posts you really have made my day and quite often my week with your tips and topics on not just going through the moment! Thank You
Rhonda
September 16, 2014 at 9:20 amMy husband is a hunter and loves it. Now ladies I’m not into it at all,but we do this every fall. Check your states hunting regulations book before proceeding ( look in the table of contents under shining) or call your local DNR. Now get bundled up as warm as you can. We bring gloves, blankets and wear lots of layers. Next grab coffee, cider, hot chocolate and snacks. If you don’t have a Spot Light you will need one for this. We borrow one from a friend from time to time when one burns out. Fill your vehicle up you don’t want to be stranded in the middle of nowhere believe me. Now the fun part drive till 10:00pm in the country and shine fields for dear. We count them as we see them and sometimes document it. At times when he sees a big buck or doe he might use a deer call. We conversate about everything and enjoy each other’s company.
Jennifer G
March 8, 2015 at 2:58 pmI love the date night idea of going re-doing the date you had the night you got engaged. The restaurant where we ate that night does not exist anymore (it was destroyed in a fire and is a coffee shop downstairs and pilates studio upstairs…where we sat to eat our meal…now), but we actually live in the town, now, that we were visiting that day. We pass the church steps where he proposed a couple times a week. Every once in a while, I point them out and tell our 7 year old (again) that those steps are where his papa asked me to marry him. 🙂
Megan
April 1, 2015 at 8:39 amWe try to do two date nights a month with at least one out of the house. For our in-house dates, we have a jar of ideas. We’ve had a blast with some, like our “Paint Night” with paint by numbers in front of a movie. Our next is to play “just Dance” on the Wii. We had a great bit of fun coming up with ideas-some silly like the video games and some productive like doing family history or touching up a piece of furniture, and I look forward to pulling them out of the jar. Our goal is to make sure our dates aren’t limited to just sitting around watching TV. The one on one time is very rejuvenating after prolonged periods of being more mom than Megan!
Lori
June 18, 2015 at 6:05 pmI cannot get the lovopoly link to work. Is anyone else having this problem?
Ahmad Davis
August 20, 2015 at 10:56 amI wanted to say I found your site while doing some research on date nights and I really enjoy it. Your at home list for date nights had some unique suggestions like “dodge ball, game tournament and hop-scotch”.
One of the best benefits of doing research on great topics like date nights for my readers is that I get to come across some really great and creative ideas.
Thanks for the great post. I linked to it in my article at http://www.mymarriageandmoney.com/fun-sex-and-money-the-secret-sauce-in-marriage/
Hope it helps.
Ahmad
Ahmad Davis recently posted…Fun Sex and Money: The Secret Sauce In Marriage?
CarlJ
November 24, 2015 at 6:14 amI never heard of a bookstore challenge. Sounds so weird it’s awesome 🙂
CarlJ recently posted…How to Be Selfish in the Best Way Possible
Wendy Cartright
January 8, 2016 at 6:51 pmI really like the idea to turn your dining room into a dining destination! We are having our one-year wedding anniversary on Sunday and we haven’t quite decided on what to do. I think putting up some cool decorations and ordering takeout would be a unique way to celebrate. Thanks for the inspiration!
Nicole
February 29, 2016 at 5:17 pmI did something similar to the “Secret Agent Love Mission” for our first anniversary dating! I got 12 (1 for each month and each first) Hershey kisses, wrote a letter underneath them and hid them around the apartment with little clues like “This is where we had our first date here.” it was a cooking date in the kitchen fyi. hehe. I knew he liked puzzles, so I had him figure out the message ” U R MY SUNSHINE” we’re dorky I know 😛 hehe He loved it! and it only cost me a bag of Hershey kisses 🙂
Diane
May 30, 2017 at 4:03 amFantastic ideas thank you!
Lori Grant
October 5, 2017 at 12:24 pmThank you for the great ideas for date night would not thought of them. Thanks
Ann Snook
February 15, 2018 at 4:20 pmGame nights are one of my husband’s and my favorites. He gets so competitive which makes it even sweeter when I win! 😛
https://missmillmag.com/relationships/8-cheap-date-ideas-your-boo-will-love/
Leigh Ann Dutton
February 16, 2018 at 7:26 amHaha! I love it!
Leah
April 16, 2019 at 4:33 pmWe decided to spice up date night. Our monthly date night is tomorrow night. Instead of a pub dinner followed by a quiz, we are planning a trip to a local park for a picnic lunch. Other ideas include a dance lesson, a wine tasting session, a night out of town, a photoshoot, a swim, a bowling night etc. I am toying with the idea of a themed night too.