Ever since I started back to work, it felt like my husband and I were roommates. He went to work at 7:30 in the morning and took classes over his lunch hour. When he came home at five o’clock, I was already at work. We fell into the trap of not making our marriage a priority, over time our relationship began to crack. Suddenly things I used to find so cute about him became annoyances. When I growled at him for the way he chewed his food, we knew it was time to review our marriage life.
We knew we needed to do something to keep our relationship solid and intact. Thus mini-date night sessions were born. But there was a catch, our mini-date sessions needed to fit around both our schedules and our meager budget, so I opted to come up with a list of dates we could do. Some took planning and others needed extra cash, but as I kept my list handy, we had ideas that fit the moment. I also found that the more I was intentional about date night, the harder my husband tried to be too.
Often these dates were after we put our kids to bed or early in the mornings when we knew our teenager could hold down the fort for an hour before school. The key to any date and being creative to find a way to fit it in.
For a printable version of this list click here: 102 Date Night Ideas TMI
- Netflix night—watch movies or your favorite TV series on Netflix when the kids are in bed. Plan a movie marathon night. Order take out or make the perfect movie meal.
- Stargazing in the backyard.
- Bubble bath with glow sticks (trust me, the glow sticks are worth it and your husband will LOVE seeing the soft glow against your skin). 🙂
- Board games: Monopoly, Twister, etc.
- Fondu—what can go wrong with chocolate?
- Camping indoors—complete with sleeping bags, tent, and a string of Christmas lights along with your favorite snacks.
- Picnic indoors.
- Picnic at your favorite park or in the backyard during lunch breaks if your schedules match up.
- Sushi night— Plan a take out night with your favorite food and eat it in bed.
- Do a crossword puzzles together.
- Go for a walk or jog. Because of my husband’s knee issues, he either rides his bike or one of our kids’ scooters.
- Go for a bike ride and watch the sunrise or sunset.
- Go fishing at sunset. Pack some sandwiches and chairs.
- Give each other back rubs or foot massages with warming gel.
- Visit a local winery for an afternoon or evening filled with taste testing wine while snacking on cheese and other complimentary snacks.
- Create a gourmet meal. This is one of our favorite nights. My husband can make anything taste like it came from a five star restaurant—even refried beans. Make sure to grab the candles and eat by candle light or by the fire place.
- Homemade pretzels. Here are the recipes: Vegan Soft Bites & Soft Pretzels.
- Make homemade taffy. The pulling is a lot of fun. Old Time Taffy Recipe
- Go rock climbing. Make it challenge and whoever loses has to give a back rub.Try a new exercise DVD together at home.
- Dress up and visit open houses at homes for sale in your area. Chat about whether or not you like the back splash.
- Midnight nacho run. If you have older kids, this one is so much fun.
- Have a facial night. Try making homemade facials. Believe it or not, some guys go for this, especially if it means he might see you naked. Facial Recipes
- Weekend alone in your home. Drop the kids off for an overnight at their friends’ homes or at grandmas.
- Morning or evening devotions together.
- Be a tourist in your own city. Look for travel guides and visit local attractions. Remember to take pictures.
- Facebook Romance. Often when I’m at work, Chris will send the lines of songs to romance me in private messages. You can also Facebook each other at home.
- Youtube Dancing. Learn your favorite dance at home. (Lift from the movie Dirty Dancing).
- Play Video Games.
- Card Games with stripping. 🙂
- Take a shower together.
- Flea Market Browsing. I love this one; it often sparks my husband’s carpenter skills.
- Attend a college sports game, grab his favorite snack like popcorn or hotdogs.
- Create a drive in night. Grab your computer and watch movies in the car with your favorite snacks and cozy blankets. (DO NOT TURN ON YOUR CAR).
- Do activities at your local fun center: bowling, ice skating, horse shoe, or roller-skating.
- Play games together at the arcade.
- Go to the gym together. Many gyms have passes for trying the gym for the first time.
- Rocking climbing or try a new exercise together. Make it challenge and whoever loses has to give a back rub.
- Try a new exercise DVD together at home.
- Dress up and visit open houses at homes for sale in your area.
- Play Frisbee golf at the park.
- Play Frisbee golf in the backyard with laundry baskets after the kids are in bed.
- Do a home improvement project together.
- Make organizational projects to help with the clutter at home. DIY Pinterest Project.
- Visit the local hardware store for ideas to remodel. You’ll get ideas for a new backsplash for the kitchen sink.
- Visit a furniture store, don’t forget the try the beds.
- Bake and decorate cookies together.
- Draw artsy portraits of each other with or without clothes.
- Take photos of each other for each other’s work desks.
- Create a memory book of your favorite dates for each of your kids. Include 10 building blocks you use for a good marriage.
- Wrap gifts while you watch your favorite holiday movie.
- Dessert night. Visit your favorite restaurant for dessert. Be sure to check the site for coupons.
- Dress up and order appetizers at a high end restaurant.
- Visit your local museums. Many are free or have times when you can visit for free.
- Attend a local concert in the park. Grab a blanket, chocolates and other snacks. Check your city’s community events.
- Go sledding without the kids, bring a mug of hot coca and share kisses in the car.
- Spend an afternoon picking fruit or vegetables at a local farm.
- Spend an evening planning a getaway trip and create a savings jar. Savings JAR DIY
- Take your guy to the gun range and learn how to shoot. Sounds like a strange date but it is a lot of fun.
- Plan a book review night. Read books like Love to Stay or Love and Respect.
- Hobby night. Your hobby may be knitting and his may be rocking the guitar, try teaching other.
- Hang out at the local library on a Saturday morning reading the newspapers or browsing for new books.
- Travel back in time. If you live close to where each other grew up, visit your childhood homes and neighborhoods. Grab a camera and take pictures of your grown up selves there.
- Eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner in bed, lock the kids out until you’re finished with the meal.
- Roast marshmallows and make s’mores over your backyard fire pit or your kitchen stove.
- Play hide and seekwith post it notes. Plan to ahead to leave clues all over the house where your hubby can find you. Consider spicing it up by wearing one of his t-shirts or a new night gown (make SURE the kids are asleep.)
- Learn a new card game together for two. Card Games for Two.
- Catch fire flies. Seriously! It is a lot of fun.
- Go horseback riding. Often you can find horse ranches outside city limits. Google to find one in your area.
- Pick out flowers or vegetables to plant.
- Go to a Drive-In Theater together. Make or purchase your favorite snacks (let him pick the movie).
- Run through the sprinklers or hang out in the kiddie pool—without the kids.
- Circle Maker night. If you’ve read the circle maker, you and your spouse can write out goals and prayers for each other, for each child, and as a family.
- Visit your local bookstore and browse CD’s and books or people watch—our favorite.
- Walk to your local coffee shop and share a scone and coffee.
- Go to open Mic night at your local coffee shop.
- Go to the carnival and state fair. Embrace the cheesiness and purchase cotton candy to eat while cuddling on the Farris Wheel.
- Visit your local car dealer and let him test drive his dream car.
- Visit a chocolate or cookie factory or ice cream shop. If they offer tours, plan to go on one.
- Prep meals together. Google your area to see if there is a business where you can prep freeze ahead meals or pick a couple of recipes to do at home.
- Invite another couple over for dinner.
- Visit the zoo and take a slow walk, taking in God’s creation.
- Take a class together. Many community colleges offer community education programs. Try a cooking class or pottery.
- Take a CPR class and practice on each other at home.
- Window shop downtown or at the mall. Pick out a new sexy night gown or bra.
- Go hiking.
- Camp overnight at your local recreational park. Either camp in your car or a tent by the lake.
- Save some cash and stay the night at a bed and breakfast in your area.
- Housesit at a friend’s house together.
- Surprise your guy with tickets to his favorite major league sport.
- Go to a local high school or college game. Go to their website and print out the season’s schedules to put on your fridge for last minute date nights.
- Watch a play together at the local high school or Community Theater.
- Hunt Garage Sales. Grab his favorite on the go breakfast and hunt for home improvement items, décor, or whatever else strikes your fancy.
- Rent a tandem bike. Pack a few sandwiches or snacks and work together to get moving.
- Stay the night at a local hotel. Plan ahead and visit the hotel’s site for good deals.
- Visit a planetarium. See the stars without braving the cold by getting tickets to the planetarium (for extra privacy for make out sessions, go during off seasons).
- Volunteer at a local shelter together or another area of interest like Habitat for Humanity.
- Go with him on a business trip or vice versa. He might be gone all day but you’ll have a cozy hotel room to cuddle when he gets back. Order room service.
- Sign up for a 5K or try something more challenging like the Warrior Dash www.warriordash.com. Train alone but also train together when your schedule’s allow.
- Go to a marriage retreat. This will take some planning and saving but it is SO worth it. Consider Family Life’s: Weekend to Remember.
- Dance in the kitchen. Load your Ipod with your favorite tunes and dance the night away.
- Go the dog park. If your man is a dog lover, he will love you for this one.
- Play Hooky. Send the kids to school and spend the day doing your favorite activity or stay in bed.
____________________________________________
REGISTER NOW for the
2014 M.O.M. Conference ~ BETTER TOGETHER
July 31st – August 2nd
Jacksonville, Florida at Trinity Baptist Church
Registration Information, Location, List of Breakout Sessions, Descriptions of Workshops, Conference Speaking Team, Better Together Conference Flyer, Better Together Bulletin Insert (Full Color), Better Together Bulletin Insert (Black & White), Better Together Conference Cards (Postcard Size)
Stephanie Shott is the founder of The M.O.M. Initiative, a ministry devoted to making mentoring intentionally missional. She is an author and a popular speaker who helps women live full, fearless and faithful lives. To invite Stephanie to speak at your next event, visit her website at www.stephanieshott.com. To find out more about The M.O.M. Initiative or to begin a M.O.M. Mentor Group, visit www.themominitiative.com.
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