52 Fun Stay at Home Date Night Ideas
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Can’t go our or just don’t feel like going out? If you’re looking for some great stay at home date night ideas, I totally gotchu! Babysitters are expensive and we don’t all have family nearby to watch the kids, so, sometimes we need to get creative to make date night happen, right?
I will be the first to admit that my husband and I don’t take nearly enough time to plan out dates, whether they’re out or at home. Raising kids can be exhausting and, at the end of the day, we don’t always have the energy come up with stay at home date night ideas. That’s ok!
I’ve got a list of 52 stay at home date night ideas that will let you and your partner enjoy some alone-ish time (you know, because the kids will be asleep in their beds still) together. That’s enough ideas for one date night a week for an entire year! Push those excuses aside, check out this list, make a plan to schedule some stay at home dates, and make it happen.
Stay at Home Date Night Ideas for the Entire Year!
1. Play a Board Game
Break out those board games and have some fun together! There are plenty of games that only require a minimum of two players, so this is your opportunity to play those games that aren’t necessarily appropriate (age or content wise) for playing with the kiddos. Although, not gonna lie, I will TOTALLY take any opportunity to play a good, old-fashioned game of Monopoly!
2. Make Dinner Together
Take the opportunity to spend some time together in the kitchen without having the kids asking for snacks the entire time. Plan ahead by picking out a new recipe on Pinterest or use Supercook to find some recipes using items you already have!
3. Make a Dessert Together
Satisfy your sweet tooth (or, in my case, teeth!) by trying out a new dessert recipe together. There are plenty to look through on Pinterest. If you prefer baking from a book, though, you might consider having a date series where you bake your way through a new dessert cookbook. You could even write down your reviews and notes on the book pages so you can reminisce and recreate dates!
4. Do a Puzzle
Clear off the table and do a puzzle together! Whether you get a new puzzle to try or do one you already have, working together to complete a puzzle can be fun and a great brain activity. If you have a library nearby, consider contacting them to see if they rent out puzzles. I was super surprised when I found out that our local library had an entire aisle worth of puzzles to borrow!
5. Have a Tasting Party
Possibly one of my favorite stay at home date night ideas, the opportunities to have a tasting party are pretty much endless. You could try out a variety of chocolate, wines, beer, potato chips…you name it!
6. Make Bucket Lists
Grab a piece of paper and a pen, create a spreadsheet in your Google Drive…whatever! Have some fun recording your bucket list together and make a plan to complete as many as possible together.
7. Listen to Music
Did you ever spend afternoons just listening to new albums? It’s one of my favorite things to do, but, as a parent, I don’t get the opportunity to do so very often. Break out your old boombox, record player, or just tell Alexa to play your favorite music and enjoy!
8. Watch a Movie
Do you still watch DVDs? We have a ton and always forget about them. Oops. Go through your DVD collection and pick out a movie for date night or scroll through your streaming options to watch a new movie together. Don’t forget popcorn!
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9. Start Watching a TV Series Together
Similar to #8, but still…a movie is pretty much “one and done,” but a series…a series can take some time to get through. My husband I started watching Supernatural on Netflix a few months ago and we’ve still got quite a ways to go to make it through the entire series. What started as a date night show has turned into our “few nights a week” routine.
10. Ask Each Other Questions
While it may not initially sound like a ton of fun, I think this activity could really be interesting and eye-opening! You know, my husband and I have been married over 13 years by now and we’re *still* learning new things about each other? That learning is never going to stop. These 200 Questions for Couples could be a great way to get to know each other even better.
11. Paint on Canvas
This is one of the stay at home date night ideas I’m actually planning on doing with my husband very soon! There are SO MANY free painting tutorials available on YouTube, so I would do a quick search and, from there, decide on your painting supplies. If you have an art studio nearby, some even provide virtual paint nights!
12. Play Mini Golf
Hear me out. It’s not like you’re going to turn your family room into a driving range, so no need to worry about things getting broken. If you don’t already have adult golf clubs, use a budget-friendly kids golf set to play mini golf in the house. Use everyday items to set up obstacles and have a blast completing the challenges.
13. Solve a Mystery
I can totally speak from experience – solving a murder mystery or completing an escape room is SO MUCH FUN to do with your significant other. Unsolved Case Files is one of our favorite companies to provide murder mystery sets. We haven’t tried an Escape Room game yet, but will be doing so soon. Bonus? If you have local friends with similar interests, you could always each get a set and then rotate the sets from couple to couple!
14. Enjoy a Fancy Meal
You know those bridesmaid dresses you’ve only worn once? The suit that’s been hanging in the closet for years? Put them on and have a fancy meal together! Whether you try out some new recipes a la suggestion #2, ordering out from your favorite restaurant, or having a personal chef come to cook you a meal, set the table with your best dishes, light some candles, and enjoy a delicious meal together.
15. Have a Picnic
If the weather is nice, have a picnic outside! If the weather isn’t so great, set up an indoor picnic. Although picnics are typically on the ground, I’d probably grab a few cushions to sit on because…you’re gonna want to be able to get up OFF the floor! 😆 #iswearimstillyoung
16. Have a Spa Experience
If you enjoy pampering yourself at home, might as well invite your partner to join in on the fun, right? I would probably skip actual candles in favor of essential oil diffusers (long story short – I burned a hole in my parents tub surround when I was a teenager 🤦). You could make it super fancy by getting some comfy robes for each of you (and, I’m thinking that *could* encourage a couples home spa experience to happen more often?). I personally have the bath bombs and facial mask sheets linked below and love them. The bath bombs are fragrant and make the bathwater turn gorgeous colors and the masks have delivered some great results for me!
17. Play “Would you Rather?”
Some “would you rather” questions are downright silly, but some can be pretty thought provoking. This website has plenty of digital (free) “would you rather” questions available for you and your partner to ponder on your stay at home date night!
18. Have a Karaoke Night
Keep it low-key by turning on music and singing along or plan ahead with a karaoke machine. You’ll want to make sure your phone is charged, too, because I’m willing to bet this activity could make for some great videos.
19. Play Video Games
Sure, the kids get to play the video games all the time, but what about you? This is one of my favorite stay at home date ideas! Get the video games set up and challenge your partner to a game. Some of my favorites have always been Mario Kart, Sonic, and Mortal Kombat.
20. Have a Themed Night
Did you go to dances when you were in high school? Remember how they always had cheesy themes? Yep, I’m going there! You’ll have to plan ahead for this stay at home date night, but it’ll be tons of fun! Pick a theme (Hawaiian Nights? Casino? Titanic?) and go all out! You could dress to the theme, try out some themed recipes, listen to themed music. Bring on the cheesy-ness!
21. Scrapbook your Adventures
Outside of the adventure that is parenting, my husband and I have been on a few vacations together, but have dreams of having many many more adventures together! Since we both love an adventure and enjoy the movie “Up,” I got my husband this “Our Adventure Book” scrapbook for a recent gift. Needless to say, he loved it! I can’t wait to fill it up!
22. Make Homemade Pizza
Everyone likes pizza, right? Whether you go simple with some pre-made dough, sauce, and cheese or try your hand at homemade everything, a quick Google search will bring up tons of recipe suggestions.
23. Binge Funny Videos
Confession: I recently joined Tik Tok and could/have spent countless hours just watching video after video. It’s easy to do…and can be so funny! Snuggle up with your partner, grab some drinks and snacks, and settle in to watch some funny videos on Tik Tok, YouTube…you name it!
24. Make Time Capsules
Capture memories by making your own time capsule! Plan ahead with an air-tight container and fill it up with items that could have a special significance to you both. If you need ideas, here are some suggestions.
25. Try a Pinterest Craft
Whether you’re crafty or not, try out a Pinterest craft together! For a challenge (or a laugh!), pick a craft that you’ve never done and see how it comes out. Who knows what you’ll end up with, but, either way, it could be a lot of fun!
26. Decorate Baked Goods
Ever watched Nailed It on Netflix? Yep. I’m going there. Look through the internet (again, Pinterest would be fabulous for this) for ideas and give it your best go! Your favorite local craft store should have all the supplies necessary or check online for dessert decorating kits.
26. Make Plans
What’s something you want to do in the next year? Go on a vacation? Do some home remodeling? Purchase a new car or move to a different home? Take a date night as an opportunity to research and make plans to do just that!
27. Make a Fondue Meal
I’m pretty sure I could be happy eating ONLY fondue for the rest of my life. I mean…the cheese! The chocolate! Yessss!! While there are a variety of options for enjoying fondue outside of the home, don’t let that deter you from having a fondue night at home! Gather up the supplies, choose some recipes (here’s a delish Swiss Cheese Fondue Recipe and a Chocolate Fondue Recipe to get you started), and plan for a fun and delicious meal!
28. Make S’mores
While you could stick with the classic Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, marshmallows, and graham cracker S’mores, you might want to try some of these creative s’mores recipes! Whether you roast your marshmallows over a fire pit or take the easy way out by warming in the microwave (No shame! Been there, done that), S’mores are always a fun and delicious snack!
29. Watch a Concert at Home
Chances are, it’s been a bit since you and your partner have been able to attend a concert together, right? I love live music, so this is one of my favorite stay at home date ideas! Search through YouTube for recorded and live concerts, look through the lineup from StageIt and Billboard (search for “livestream” or “virtual concert” for most updated options) and enjoy some live music!
30. Decorate for an Upcoming Holiday
Get your decorations out of storage and decorate your home! You could even just break out the construction paper and scissors and create some of your own old-school decorations. You know what? I’d even use glitter *gasp*
31. Look to the Sky
If you live in an area where you can see the sky, take this as an opportunity to look to the stars! If you have a telescope, bring that out, too! There’s just something peaceful and humbling about looking out into the sky and realizing that we’re all just a small part of something so vast. I like to use the Star Tracker app (available for android and iOS systems) when gazing at the sky because it can show where the international space system is, locations of planets and specific stars, and more.
32. Look at Old Photos
If you have your photos printed out, look at them! Even if you still have photos on your phone or computer, take a moment and look at those as well. There’s nothing like a walk down memory lane.
33. Have a Dance Party
I do this ALL the time with my kids, so might as well do it with the husband, too! Clear the floor, put some music on, and dance to your hearts content! We like to stream music videos on the tv through YouTube, but using a radio or streaming device would work just as well.
34. DIY Photobooth
There are TONS of photobooth props available online, so you could grab a few to plan ahead….OR…use that same construction paper you used in #30 and make some of your own props! Charge up your phones, grab your selfie stick (I have this one – it folds up nice and compact and lives in my purse!) or set up a ring light and start creating memories! Make an effort to print out some of your favorite photos so you can be reminded of this fun stay at home date night!
35. No Electricity Night
I’m thinking this might be one of my husband’s favorite stay at home date night ideas if just for the potential savings on our electric bill! 😆 Turn off the lights, grab a flashlight or light some candles and settle in for a stay at home date night in the dark! Tell some scary stories, make some shadow puppets on the wall…it’ll be fun!
36. Tie Dye!
I LOVE doing tie-dye! It’s such an easy way to bring color and happiness to otherwise “boring” items. Choose the item(s) you’ll be tie-dying (I’ve done curtains, sheets, and various pieces of clothing – just be sure to get a light color or white), get a tie-dye kit (I’ve used this one – it worked great for us and I was able to use the storage case afterwards) or some bottles of Rit Dye and get ready to tie dye! You could just try putting rubber bands on random places on your items, but the Tulip website has some pretty awesome tie dye tutorials!
37. Watch a Movie in the Backyard
Obviously, this is one of the stay at home date night ideas meant more for warmer weather, but, by all means, if you’re up for a night spent by a fire pit (roast marshmallows like suggestion #28?), go for it! There are quite a few outdoor projectors available for a variety of budgets. The best part of this date night idea? I’m betting the kids would love to have an outdoor family movie night in the future, too!
38. Have a Movie Marathon
Pick a movie series, start from the beginning, and see how far you can get through it before falling asleep. We’re partial to the Marvel Avengers series, but there are PLENTY of movie options available! Grab some drinks and snacks, a cozy blanket, and get comfy on the sofa for a movie marathon!
39. Smooch and Tell
Did you have a collection of flavored lip balms when you were little, too? Grab a set or two of flavored lip balms for this stay at home date night and get ready for some lip action! Take turns putting flavored lip balm on each others lips, smooch, and guess the flavor. You’ll both be winners in this game 😉
40. Cooking Challenge
One of my favorite stay at home date night activities! This could be done in a few ways – you could choose a challenge ingredient and then both of you have to make a dish using that ingredient. Or, set a timer and make a certain dish in that time. Either way, it’ll be a ton of fun and you should end up with something delicious to eat afterwards!
41. Take the 5 Love Languages Quiz
What’s your love language? What’s your partner’s love language? Find out by taking the 5 Love Language Quiz. If you want to take it a step further, there are quite a few books that go along with the quiz.
42. Make Gingerbread Houses
Even if it’s not December, you can TOTALLY still make gingerbread houses! Grab a kit from the store or try using ingredients you already have in your pantry (graham crackers? saltines?) and make some houses! You could give them a holiday or seasonal theme or you could even try to build your dream home in edible house form.
43. Have a NERF War
If you have kids, there’s a good chance, you already have some NERF blasters hanging around the house. Put them to good use for this stay at home date night and challenge your partner to a NERF war!
44. Make Your Own Sushi
Definitely one of the more delicious stay at home date night ideas in this list, right?! Do a quick search for “how to make sushi” and get going! Prep your ingredients and enjoy a delicious meal together.
45. Recreate your First Date
Do whatever you did on your first date! Try your best to recreate the outfits you wore, the hairstyles, etc. If anything, it’ll be fun to reminisce together.
46. Make Ice Cream Sundaes
YES!! This is a stay at home date night activity that I am TOTALLY on board with. Get some of your favorite ice cream, all the toppings that would make the 6-year-old version of you giddy with excitement, and make the best ice cream sundaes ever!
47. Learn to Dance
True Confession: I just am not coordinated enough to do most dance moves. You know what, though? It’s still fun to try! Head over to trusty YouTube and search for videos for dance instruction. You may end up with a stomachache from laughing so much or you may discover that you and your partner should be on Dancing with the Stars. Who knows?!
48. DIY Home Project
You know that project that’s been on the Honey Do list for what seems like forever? Get it done! Paint the bathroom, hang up that light fixture, install a new faucet in the kitchen. Whatever you’ve been meaning to do, but never have the time…here you go!
49. Make Your Own Brew!
You may not get to enjoy the fruits of your labor right away, but this should be one a fun stay at home date night idea! There are plenty of DIY beer kits online to choose from. If beer isn’t your thing, consider making your own wine or even hot sauce!
50. Do a Craft Kit
Get your craft on by doing a craft kit with your person! There are plenty of craft kits to choose from from making soaps or candles, embroidery, crochet or knitting…diamond painting, painting, and so much more! There are plenty of reasonably priced options, so pick a kit or two and give it your best shot.
51. Make Your Own Cheese
One of my main food groups 😂 A quick Google search will return quite a few resources for making your own cheese at home. Look through and figure out what kind of cheese you wand to make and then go for it. If you prefer to have everything provided in a kit, or make cheese from a cookbook, check these options out. You might even want to try your hand at making a charcuterie board with your cheese, too!
52. Recreate your Favorite Restaurant Meal
If you aren’t able to go out to a restaurant, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy your favorite restaurant dishes at home. There are SO many recipes for restaurant dupe dishes out there. For example, I LOVE getting the Bloomin’ Onion as an appetizer when we go to Outback Steakhouse, but here’s a recipe to make it at home! Just Google the name of your favorite restaurant, along with your favorite dish, and “dupe recipe” or “recipe,” and options should come up for you! Enjoy!
That should be enough ideas to get your started on enjoying some stay at home date nights, right? Are there any stay at home date night ideas that we missed? Let us know in the comments or feel free to email me! If you happen to take any photos while enjoying your date night, and you share them on Facebook or Instagram, be sure to tag That Homeschool Family on them! We’d love to see!!
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