Date Night Ideas!

I'll admit that I can count on one hand the times we've gotten a babysitter for our littles and gone out just the two of us.  With nursing and having little babies who crawl and stuff everything in their mouths, I find it hard to leave them with other people.  But I will also admit that the times Steve's mom has been so gracious to watch the kiddos - they have been some of our most special memories!  Every couple needs time to re-connect and to remember what they used to love to do together.  Once when Steve and I went rock-climbing, my Mother-in-Law suggested that we try to talk about the kids only 50% of the time :).  After we hit the rock, we actually walked hand and hand into Cafe Rio to actually enjoy a meal in a real restaurant!  Yes you can tell we probably need to get away more.  But I was seriously twitterpated with sparkly eyes and a slight hop in my step.... and with a very large tummy since Hailey was almost here!  I fell completely in love with my husband all over again.

I think having a date night can be at home when the kids are finally asleep.  The key is to make it a priority and make it happen.  I don't really expect for us to have a big deal date every weekend, but I think it's important to try to plan ahead and do something fun!

Many of my brothers and their wives make an effort to have a getaway overnight at least once or twice a year.  Some of them totally surprise their spouse, make all necessary arrangements, and just whisk them away!  I think this is really healthy when possible, and it's something I'd like to do someday!

Here's a list I put together of date ideas. Some of these are mega cheesy ones I got from www.thedatingdivas.com but you can make it simple and fun and fit your personalities.  Steve and I have loved the "travel from your home" idea.  My husband is a history major and I love learning about different cultures.  Since we don't have the money to really travel, once we "went" to France where I put out grape juice, cheeses, and fruits, put up pictures of Paris, watched a little youtube video about the country, learned lots of interesting facts, and then danced to French accordion music! Another thing we love to do is look through home magazines and dream about what we like/dislike and what we want our future home to be like.  We've also liked reading one of the Classics together.  I think we only got half way through, but it sure was fun to try :).  Enjoy doing something fun with your spouse this weekend!

Indoor Picnic: Have a picnic on the floor with blanket, lit candles, and maybe even play a CD of ocean sounds!  Since you’ll be indoors, try making hamburgers or grilling chicken.  End with playing a card game or other game like Yatzee.

Dessert for Two:  Make a homemade dessert together and eat it while watching a movie (with popcorn too of course and a yummy drink). 

At-home Spa Date: Give each other relaxing massages while playing beautiful/ classical music.  The wife could give her husband a full out pedicure and he could “try” to paint her nails.  Put on facemask treatments – basically use whatever “spa” items you have.  Eat yummy finger foods and appetizers. 

Dancing at Home:  Rent a movie from your local library that teaches you step by step how to dance together.  Or, just look up a tutorial video on youtube.  Country or ballroom dancing moves could be fun to learn!

Trip to DI: Go to Deseret Industries each with a certain amount of cash (like $5 each) and secretly buy a gift for each other.  It’s also fun just to browse the store together. 

Cuddle Up & Read: Choose a book to start reading together – like maybe a little each night. 

Recreate your First Date:  What were you wearing?  Where did you go?  What did you do or talk about?  You could even try to recreate in your very home.

Musical Night: Find out when a local high school is putting on their musical production or attend a low-cost concert open to the public. 

Git Fit: Exercise to a work-out video together. Then enjoy a protein shake or fruit smoothie afterwards.

Dream House: Sketch your dream-house floor plan and talk about the possibilities of each room.

Winter Snowman: Build a snowman together, then enjoy hot cocoa.

Spouse Sleepover:  Drag your mattress or air mattress into the family room.  Have treats, games, movies, and drinks just like you used to do when you were little.  For the game you could play “Cheez-it Scrabble” – the crackers each have a letter on them.  Wake up to breakfast in bed! 

“Pep Rally” Date: Have pizza and appetizers, listen to jock jams to pump you up, wear the school’s colors, and go to a local high school’s sporting event. 

Make life lists: A life list is when you sit down and brainstorm all of the things that you've never done which you'd like to do before you die. Things on the list can be as mundane and extraordinary as you want. Make your life lists separately and then share them; you'll be amazed how much you find out about each other.

Make Summer Plans: Plan where you want to travel and explore this spring/summer.  You could even buy your state map and mark where you’ve been and where you want to go.   Make sure you save your list!

Back to the ‘50s Date: Turn your kichen into a diner with burgers, fries, and shakes/malts.  You could even have a babble gum blowing contest and dance to ‘50s music.

Travel from your Home:  This fun date night can be done multiple times with different countries you are interested in.  All dates could include eating food from that country, learning interesting facts about the country, watching a movie based there or about it, printing off some pictures, watching a short youtube tour of that country or famous city, and maybe even dancing to their music!  It’s so fun to learn about different places!  Some examples would be:

Italy – homemade pizzas, play Andre Bocelli music, painting or making play dough sculptures

France – French bread, cheese, fruit, and sparkling apple juice, watching Ratatouille, dancing to French accordian music

Indoor Campout: When it’s too cold to campout, enjoy making tin foil dinners in the oven followed by making smores (with your oven broiler)!  If you’d like, you can go all out with the air mattress, glow in the dark stars, reading a book together, and burn a CD of outdoor noises for fun.

Dollar Date: Go to the dollar store and both spouses get to pick out one thing (and perhaps children).  Go to a fast food restaurant and order items from the dollar menu.  Then go to the dollar movies!



What have been some of your favorite dates?!