As parents of three young kids, it can be incredibly difficult to be spontaneous and full of energy.
This isn’t meant to sound pessimistic towards kids. I love my kids. But they are a lot of work, and at the end of most days, my husband and I are exhausted from work and family. That’s why our normal date night routine had us watching Netflix and spacing out.
But adventure, connection, and fun are something that we’ve been yearning for the last few years.
If you feel this way too, here are five date nights that helped bring a little variety and play back into our time together. They are, of course, at home because we still have most date nights in. But, the dates proved that even in your own home you can spice things up. And even with kids and jobs you can have a marriage that’s fun.
1. Fun & Spicy Questions
First, we began with better questions and conversations. This fun questions game for couples helped guide us. The questions are a mix of funny, deep, and even pretty intimate. And they helped us learn a lot about ourselves and our partner. We also found other questions online to help us get deeper in the way we connected.
Note: Online questions definitely helped take the pressure off of us to make the conversation exciting. Neither one of us has the energy to be creative on a Friday night. Using pre-made questions was a huge win!
2. A Puzzle & Wine Date
Next, I bought a puzzle that was the picture of a breathtaking library and we spent an evening sipping drinks and putting it together. I never would have thought this date would be so exciting, but we were pleasantly surprised by how much fun we had together doing it. It was almost meditative to sit with someone you love figuring it out.
3. Eat Dinner Alone
To improve our regular date night routine, we started letting the kids eat first on their own. They get to watch tv afterward and mom and dad enjoy a meal just the two of us. This habit alone has been a huge improvement on how well we connect. Mom isn’t getting up a thousand times to get the kids something, and we are able to focus and concentrate long enough to talk about important topics.
4. Have a Bookstore Date
This date takes a little bit of preparation. We bought fancy coffee, a few magazines, and a book each before the date. The night of, we turned on the fireplace a cozied up with our drinks and reading material.
It was a sweet date that didn’t require much effort overall, and made for a very relaxing evening together. We fully enjoyed discussing our favorite books and thoughts on various topics in a calm environment.
5. Planning Dates
Finally, we started looking ahead to the future together more. Not only is discussing a shared future a fun way to spend an evening, but we found it to be inspiring and help keep us on the right track with our long-term goals.
I highly recommend planning dates once a quarter if you enjoy them. You can talk about your bucket lists, vision boards, short and long term goals, financial dreams, and just about anything!
In Conclusion
There you have it! These five date ideas have transformed what used to be a boring old date night. I feel more connected, loved, and inspired in our relationship. And I think he does too. I hope they help you put a little pep into your relationship too.
What’s is your favorite date night at home with the one you love? Share in the comments!