Hi guys! This is Katie (I work here at A Thrifty Mom with Sarah). I love date night. Spending time with my best friend (aka my husband) is stress-reducing and can be so much fun. But with young kids and a budget we don’t get to go out very often on dates. So we’ve found some fun ways to date at home. Check out my at home date night ideas.
First, a few ground rules we strive to keep.
No talk about finances and work. Nothing creates unhappy feelings like the stress of money. Instead, talk about things you find interesting. An online article you read, a funny story, or a new song you heard and liked.
No kids! This can be a tricky one since we’re at home. This is why it’s after bedtime. Kids need/want our attention and it’s nice hanging out with them. But honestly they don’t enhance a date or create a romantic atmosphere. We also try and not spend our time talking about the kids. Although this one is difficult for me to avoid. But I find that the less we talk about the kids and the more we talk about our interests and each other the better the date is. And the closer we feel to each other. If you can, take the kids to Grandma’s for the night so you don’t even have to worry about bedtime 😉
If you have older kids and teens, at home dates can be hard to do because the kids are up later. One way to make an at home date happen is to plan it. Schedule it on a night the kids are out. Or if that isn’t feasible tell the kids you’re having a date night and go in your room and shut the door. It is so important to every relationship to make time for each other and strengthening your marriage.
And lastly, remember your on a date. No checking emails, facebook, instagram, or any of that. Put your phone away. Texts can wait. Plus, putting it away and not answering when you get a notification will show your spouse that they are more important to you.
Here are a few of our favorite at home date night ideas:
1. Movie Night – An oldie but a goodie. Pop some popcorn (this is my favorite popper) and watch a favorite show. We usually take turns picking movies. So sometimes its all about the action movie and other times we get in a chick-flick or a historical piece. And no whining about the choice! I’ve found when we show a mutual respect for each other’s choices we have a better time.
2. Game Night – This can be card games or board games. Some games we play are Sequence, card games like Rummy, video games like Mario Kart. We also like to do game nights with friends, but I’ll share more on those in another post.
4. Help Each Other with a Project – This can be a fun team-building type date. I like working with my spouse to accomplish something. Plus, my husband is pretty handy so he can build what I want and help me finish it off. Just over the holidays my husband helped me with the treats for my son’s preschool. While it wasn’t a very romantic date it was nice spending time with each other laughing about the funny pumpkin faces we drew on mandarin orange fruit cups.
5. Romantic Night – The fun part about knowing you’re going to have a romantic evening can be the anticipation. Send a few reminder texts about what’s coming up that night. Appeal to your spouse’s love language so they are more open to romance and they feel how much you love them. And remember that this is the date. Embrace the foreplay.
6. Massage Night – One of my favorites. Turn the bright lights off and get cozy. Light a candle. Turn on relaxing music. Take a shower beforehand so you’re fresh and ready for some lotion (this is my favorite lotion that comes in several great scents) (And this Massage Oil is highly rate). Take your time with each other. If you need to, set a timer for 20 minutes and then switch.
7. Workout together! If your schedules mesh well spend some time working out together. Exercising with a partner can be motivating and fun. And then when your done hop in the shower together 😉
What are your favorite at home date nights?