Having two young kids, demanding jobs, and TONS going on it can be hard to think of a date night idea. Andrew and I have really tried to be better about making time for dates not just out of the house but at home ones as well! If you are like us coming up with what to do is half the battle. So here are 8 easy date night ideas for when you feel stuck!
8 Easy Date Night Ideas
Make dinner together: Probably one of my favorite things to do with Andrew. It helps when we both aren’t exhausted from work and wrangling a toddler. Cooking together is so fun. Put on some music and really enjoy that time together. Bonus* Take a cooking class together!
Go to a concert in the park: Dallas has a place called The Arboretum and they have weekly concerts outdoors. You can bring a blanket, wine, food, etc and really just enjoy being outside. Look in your area to see if something similar exists.
Explore a new restaurant/neighborhood: I had a goal on my 101 in 1001 list to try 10 new restaurants and we’ve gone well beyond that. It’s such a fun thing to do especially if you live in a city where new places are opening weekly! Another fun thing to do is try a new restaurant in a neighborhood/area you’ve never been to and explore the entire area. Maybe grab drinks or dessert somewhere else!
Step outside your comfort zone: This can mean so many different things. Go skydiving maybe or take a trapeze class. Maybe try a new workout class together, or go on a hike. Something out of the ordinary for you both.
Have a movie night: Nothing like a good ol fashioned movie night. Pile up the blankets and pillows, pick a few favorites, or some new movies, and pop some popcorn. Then snuggle up and watch the movies and put your phones somewhere else.
Play board games/do a puzzle: I love to play board games, Andrew not as much. I think it’s because I always win haha! But we also love to do puzzles together. We always have so much fun working on a puzzle.
Exercise: Go for a walk, a hike, take a workout class, go for a swim, go kayaking, paddle boarding etc. Something outdoors and active. Being active together is always a fun thing to do!
Have fancy drinks: I love to go to bars (low key ones) and order fancy drinks. That can honestly be the perfect date night. It’s quick, easy, and fun! Plus you get to dress up!
It’s so important to continually date your spouse and these ideas are some of our go to favorite things to do!
What would you add to this list of easy date night ideas?
This post was originally published in 2019 but has been updated for 2022.
You are so right, kids make date nights so much harder. My husband and I cook dinner together most nights, so that isn’t out of the ordinary for us. Our date nights are usually catching up on tv shows together or watching a movie. And we have close to 100 board games (we love to play and design games) so our goal for the rest of the year is to play each game at least once this year.
This may sound terribly boring and mundane, but some of our best “date nights” – as two busy parents with kids – is when we linger at the dinner table on Saturday night after they’ve finished/excused themselves, or linger on the loveseat before our nightly streaming session, and just TALK. Talk about the girls and how they’re doing and any parenting challenges we’ve faced that week with one of them, talk about our hopes and dreams for the future – for the girls, for our home, for upcoming family travel ideas – it is so rare, it seems, to have even five or ten uninterrupted minutes to just do that. And when we make the time to reconnect and get beyond the surface day-to-day, to really think and plan together about the bigger picture, it is always so memorable and worthwhile.
I never thought of exercise as a date night, but that is actually the way that my husband and I met. We should definitely should try this for a date night this week.
I love this list! In my household ain’t easy, it doesn’t get done. Lol. Such is life with a toddler. Having date nights is important and these ideas are great!
These are almost all things my husband and I enjoy doing together! We love a night where we stay in, make dinner together, try a new mixed drink, play games, and watch a movie. It’s so much fun!
Making dinner together is one of my favourite budget-friendly date night ideas! I just hate the clean-up after, haha! 😛
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
You are so right, kids make date nights so much harder. My husband and I cook dinner together most nights, so that isn’t out of the ordinary for us. Our date nights are usually catching up on tv shows together or watching a movie. And we have close to 100 board games (we love to play and design games) so our goal for the rest of the year is to play each game at least once this year.
I agree with all of these! Exploring new places and movie nights are my favorite!
https://jasminlen.blogspot.com/
Jasmin
We often struggle to make time for date nights due to work/training commitments, but these are all great ideas for when we do get the chance!
Making dinner together is one of my favorite date nights! We enjoy so much cooking together. Also, love all the ideas you have listed!
This may sound terribly boring and mundane, but some of our best “date nights” – as two busy parents with kids – is when we linger at the dinner table on Saturday night after they’ve finished/excused themselves, or linger on the loveseat before our nightly streaming session, and just TALK. Talk about the girls and how they’re doing and any parenting challenges we’ve faced that week with one of them, talk about our hopes and dreams for the future – for the girls, for our home, for upcoming family travel ideas – it is so rare, it seems, to have even five or ten uninterrupted minutes to just do that. And when we make the time to reconnect and get beyond the surface day-to-day, to really think and plan together about the bigger picture, it is always so memorable and worthwhile.
NOT at all boring! Some of my fav nights are ones where we just talk!
Making dinner together always turns out to be fun. It’s nice to do normal things together and it must makes you feel closer.
Great tips! My busband and I cook dinner together and play games often. I think that one on one personal time is so key in a relationship..
I never thought of exercise as a date night, but that is actually the way that my husband and I met. We should definitely should try this for a date night this week.
I love this list! In my household ain’t easy, it doesn’t get done. Lol. Such is life with a toddler. Having date nights is important and these ideas are great!
movie nights and cooking together are my favorites!
Oooo so many fun date night suggestions!!!! I love going to concerts in the park!!’ We have been to a few this summer already
Oooo so many fun date night suggestions!!!! I love going to concerts in the park!!’ We have been to a few this summer already
wow, great date night suggestions! I always love to explore new restaurants. I think this is a perfect idea.
These are almost all things my husband and I enjoy doing together! We love a night where we stay in, make dinner together, try a new mixed drink, play games, and watch a movie. It’s so much fun!