50 at Home Date Night Ideas (That aren’t a Movie!)
Originally posted on https://coupletraveltheworld.com/at-home-date-night-ideas/
So you have exhausted your second date and third date ideas you have reached the comfortable stage of your relationship where you just want to sit home and chill!
We feel you!
Sometimes, we feel so exhausted that we just want to date night to be a lazy at home experience.
But a movie date night!? Sooooo boring!
So we have wracked our brains and thought of 50 at home date night ideas (that aren’t a movie!) And if it is raining out, here are some additional rainy day date ideas to keep you occupied.
And after all this if you are eager for even MORE dates we have hundreds of more date ideas for all seasons including summer dates, fall dates and winter dates!
Pizza and wine
Don’t feel like cooking but want a semi fun, semi romantic date night at home?
Order a pizza from a Pizzeria or pick one up at the store that you just pop in the oven.
Another romantic idea might be to make a pizza together. After all, homemade pizza is the MOST delicious. Here is a great homemade pizza recipe if you choose that option.
Break out some wine. Turn the lights down low, and put on some smooth music.
This all makes for one great at-home date night.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- A great recipe + ingredients, frozen pizza or pizza delivery number
- Wine
- Our favourite pizza making utensils for couples
Card games
Poker, slap jack, black jack, go fish, speed, or double speed…whatever “suits” your fancy. Choose one or play them all.
Our personal favourite card games are Hearts or UNO.
It is always good to keep it fresh and interesting with a new card game. The old favourites can get boring after a while.
We love this new Fun & Romantic Card Game for Couples for example.
Throw in some cold drinks and snacks and you got a fun at home game/date night on your hands.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Fun & Romantic Card Game for Couples or another card game that takes your fancy!
- Cold drinks
- Snacks
Board games
Catan, Monopoly, Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Life, Twister, Chess, Checkers, Would you Rather…, Brainiac, or other board games.
So many to choose from for hours of fun with your partner for a really great game night date night.
As with the card games, it is always good to keep it fresh and interesting. We love mixing up our date nights with new and interesting board games.
Not exactly a board game but we recently came across these cool thought provoking conversation starters.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Thought provoking conversation starters or another board game that takes your fancy!
- Cold drinks
- Snacks
Read aloud
Pick a book to read together. I mean how romantic is this!
My favorites are Jules Verne, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jane Austen, Francine Rivers, and Cliff Graham.If you don’t know what book is just right, ask your librarian to help you.
Choose a genre you’re both interested in and chances are she/he can probably help you find some really great options.
Have you ever heard of the idea of Love Languages? Neither had we until just recently.
Basically, there are 5 Love Languages (ways that people express love). It is cool to find out what is you and your partner’s love language.
We found this cool book about Love Languages that would be cool to read together on a date!
HOW TO PREPARE:
- A good book such as Love Languages
- A hot cuppa or coffee
- Snacks
Spring cleaning
It might not be the most romantic date ever, but spring cleaning is a big part of life in the spring so making a date out of it can make it more fun and exciting.
Put on some tunes, get out the equipment and sing and dance like no one but your one and only is watching while you clean.
Now I’ll bet you didn’t think this one would be on the list?
If you want to spice the date up, you can always go all out with this outfit. Ha ha.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Cleaning equipment
- A cute outfit!
Cook a fancy meal – a perfect stay at home date idea for couples
Cooking a fancy meal together can be fun and special (not to mention scrumptious).
Pick a recipe out of a cook book or online, sip an adult beverage while the chemistry grows.
For some fabulous ideas we love the date night cookbook!
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Ingredients for the meal of your choice
- Wine, beer or other beverage of your choosing!
Romantic night ideas at home for her – Take out – by candlelight
Order some take out and make it special by playing some smooth beats and lowering the lighting to a romantic candlelit evening.
Have fun practicing using chopsticks (if its asian food), or laugh together as you try tossing bites of food in each others mouths. Talk about yum!
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Take out of your choosing
- Beautiful candles
- Wine, beer or other beverage of your choosing!
‘Have you ever’…over tacos and burritos
OK this is one of our new favourite date night in ideas.
Play the game ‘have you ever’ with some tequila shots along with some tasty tacos and burritos.
You’d be surprised how fun this game can be and how long it can last over a lunch like this.
I don’t know about you but I think tacos and burritos are the perfect addition to the ‘have you ever’ game.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Ingredients for Tacos and burritos
- Beverage of your choosing!
Stargaze
If you live in a city without too much light pollution this is the perfect at cheap at home date night idea.
Take a big, comfy blanket out to the yard on a night that is clear and lay out under the stars and enjoy stargazing with your one and only.
Tell each other your dreams, goals. Retell memories that you both love.
You’ll get a fabulous outdoor blanket for this date!
HOW TO PREPARE:
- A fabulous outdoor blanket
- Snacks
- Beverage of your choosing!
At home movie theater
Hang up the sheet, cue the projector, stick in the redbox movie.
Buy the popcorn, drinks, and candies before hand at the store so you are all set and ready to go.
Dress up nice like you both are really going out for a hot date.
Meet each other in the living room at the set time and get cozy in some cushy chairs that are front and center for your movie.
Note: This is not JUST a movie, this is a special experience!!
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Set the living room up
- Snacks
- Beverage of your choosing!
Dog training together
If you guys have a new dog or one you want to work with to teach new tricks, make a date of it! Trust me, it can be super fun.
Grab plenty of treats for the pooch, and some sandwiches for the humans and have fun together.
If you don’t want to make this date a chore, you’ll need some seriously good doggie treats.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Dog treats
- A dog!
Camping in the backyard
Yes, camping in the backyard. It can be so much fun if you love the outdoors but just don’t want to go anywhere.
Gather wood and build a cozy fire (if city regulations allow).
Set up the tent. Grab the hotdogs, s’mores and guitar and go crazy.
Step it up a notch with a giant tent and take your mattress outside for a memorable glamping experience.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- A cute tent
- Camping blankets
- Possibly an indoor S’mores maker if you cant set up a fire
Picnic in the living room
This is one of our go to date night in ideas at home or on the road.
Make a meal and lay down a nice thick blanket on the living room floor.
Grab a fan if you want to feel the breeze in your hair. And turn on some soft background music.
Inside dates can be just as fun as outside dates (especially because of AC and heat!)
Have a picnic for two without ever leaving the house.
A peaceful, special time for just the two of you.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- A nice thick blanket
- Picnic basket
- Picnic goodies!
Shish kabob and margaritas
Make some kabobs and one of you grill them over the fire while the other blends up some margaritas.
Talk about a tasty stay at home date! Dinner for two can’t get much better than this!
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Shish kabob ingredients
- Shish kabob skewers
- Margaritas
Collage or scrapbook
Put together a collage or make a scrapbook to keep up with the wonderful memories you and your significant other are making.
We recently stumbled upon this very cool adventure scrapbook.
Don’t forget to dust ‘em off and look at em every now and again, like on birthdays, holidays, and your anniversary.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Scrapbook
- Memories to go in it
- Snacks
Ice cream Sundaes
What’s better than a date night making your very own sensational ice cream sundaes??
Buy all the ingredients and have a party for two!
With this stay at home date you don’t have to pay extra for extra cherries, nuts, or whipped cream!
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Everything necessary for delicious home made ice cream sundaes!
Karaoke
Have a ‘sing off’ as you guys dance to some karaoke on this fun stay at home date.
This one allows for lots of fun and giggles as you both have fun singing your hearts out together.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Your favourite tunes
- Snacks & drinks of your choice!
Dollar menu date – a great cheap date night idea at home
Yep. You read me.
Dollar menu dates can be a great idea. Especially if ya’ll are tight for money that week but you want to have a day of relaxing and spending time together.
No cooking, just get it to go–on the cheap!
You can buy a bunch of food for a few bucks. It fills you up and makes for a great date together.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Low cost supermarket food of your choice!
Wash the car
If you are trying to save money or just thinking about what you can do together, why not wash the car together?
Get buckets of sudsy water, some sponges.
Put on some clothes to get wet in.
Chances are the cars not the only thing getting soaked on this date!
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Bucket
- Detergent
- Old sponge for car washing
House project
If you guys have been meaning to get around to fixing things up around the house but haven’t found the time, why not make a date of it?
Turn on some rock, get out the tool belts, and go to town. Take turns being the helper and being the fixer.
That way you’re both having fun. You’ll love how much nicer your house looks after this handy stay at home date.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Tools (Differing tools depending on the job!)
Paint the house
Maybe your house needs a new coat of paint, or a different color all together?
If you’ve been dying to change the wall color in a room or the outside of the house, this date could be a fun thing you can both do together to get it done.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Paint
- Snacks for when you need a break
Reorganize
If you’ve been meaning to reorganize the rooms in your home, then why don’t you two work together to get it done. Make a cute date of it and make it fun.
Pick a room and get to work.
Clean as you go so that when you’re done the room looks amazing.
Keep going until you’re done with all the rooms you want to do.
Make sure to order food to refuel!
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Any food you might need
- Snacks for when you need a break
YouTube Yoga Date!
Get on YouTube and learn something new together.
Learn to juggle, or dance, or to whistle loudly, or to do couples yoga.
The list is endless of what you can learn. Pick something together and make a fun date out of it.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Find a youtube channel you like, we love the channel Blogalites
- Water or a drink to keep you hydrated!
Study date
If you have a lot of studying to do for classes but you want to spend time with your sweet heart, then make a date out of studying together.
Just remember to study as well as have fun together.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Anything you need to study with
- Some snacks!
Gardening
Making a garden together can be a lot of fun. If you live in a city that’s not a problem. You can have a garden in containers on your front or back porch.
Get some planter pots, some paint, and some stencils and be creative with your potted Garden. The colors on the pots will lighten up your porch.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Some cute pots
- Plants
- Potting Mix
- And your green thumb!
Canning
Canning is a fun and pioneering way to feel independant and well rounded.
Canning your own veggies to store for later can be a great story for a later date.
Won’t your friends be impressed to know how you made your own homemade spaghetti sauce out of tomatoes you canned yourself?
We love these reusable jam jars which are also very environmentally friendly
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Cool cans to store your veggies
Jams and jellies
After a day of berry picking spend a day making your own jellies and jams!
Such a cute date. You and him in the kitchen with cute aprons on hovering over a bubbling pot of swirling berry goodness!
Enjoy some toast smeared with butter and your own berry jam. Yum!
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Berries
- Cool cans to store your jams!
Dinner kit
If you want a great dinner but don’t want to shop for all the ingredients, why not purchase a dinner kit?
It will have a step by step guide to make an incredible dinner for two.
This is a great dinner kit!
A perfectly delicious stay at home date.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- A great dinner kit
- Beverage of your choice to go with your meal.
Store “Pick-up” date
How bout a web surfing date? Pick a store (ie walmart) that has a pick-up feature on their website and go cruising!
Check out the clearance items and find some good sales (like clothes and shoes), and pick out some snacks or dinner items to eat once you pick your groceries up.
Try on the clothes and shoes and snack and have a good time.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- A great website to surf
- Snacks or a beverage for added fun!
Make a scrumptious dessert
Find a dessert online that you both like and work together to make it. If you don’t have the ingredients, go get them real quick and then get to cooking.
Be proud of yourself afterward as you take a picture, then dig in!
HOW TO PREPARE:
- All you need to make a yummy desert
- Coffee or tea
Improve your cooking skills
Watch videos together on youtube of how to improve your cooking skills. Work on your slicing, dicing, and julienning.
Then you can show off your skills in front of your friends when they come over for dinner.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- A great youtube cooking channel
- ingredients to try it out!
Romantic date ideas at home for him – Play video games
Play some video games together. You can spend hours of fun eating snacks and drinks and racing or fighting each other or working as a team to defeat an enemy.
Just be sure to play whichever way is going to make you both have fun and not turn against each other.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- A fun video game
- Snacks
Binge watch a TV series (Not a Movie)
Find a show you both like, pull up the sofa, and get cozy as you binge watch a show you both love.
Tell each other your favorite parts, the worst part for you, and the parts you thought brought the whole thing altogether.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- A great television series
- Snacks
Meditate together
Sometimes cheap at home date nights are just the tonic.
Meditation is a great addition to your day or night. It relaxes you, improves sleep, alleviates stress and anger.
Try doing a guided meditation together if you’re new to meditating, or meditate without the extra guidance.
At the end of the session you will feel happier and more at peace.
This is the perfect date for married couples to enjoy each other’s company in peace at home.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Yoga Mat
- Water
- Possible instruction
Do couples fitness together
Practice couples fitness together!
This really is a fun at home date night idea because it doesn’t matter how bad you are.
Look up videos on how to do couples fitness or yoga together and give it a try.
Even if you’re the worst yogi in the world – your partner will love you for being a top sport.
Practice it on a regular basis to keep a strong relationship and improve teamwork.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Yoga Mat
- Water
- Youtube video
Learn Origami
The art of paper-folding can be such a fun learning date for the two of you.
Learn to make a lotus flower, a swan, or anything else your imagination can think up.
Whip up some snacks from the cupboard and you’ve got a perfect cheap date night.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Origami Instructions
- Origami Paper
Practice self defense at home
It’s ALWAYS a good idea to learn to protect yourself.
You can find online classes so you can do it from the comfort of your own home!
Do it together to make a useful kinda date.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Self defence class
- Water
One-on-one
Play some one-on-one together as a fun fitness date.
A pickup basketball game can be a great bonding experience.
Even if you aren’t an even match, you can learn to listen to your partner.
Teaching someone new skills is a rewarding experience and you’ll feel better for putting yourself out there.
So don’t rule out playing sports together as a perfect cheap, fun and healthy date idea you can do from home.
Learn a new song
Get the guitar and keyboard out and learn some new songs to play.
Duets are always a great option.
Or if she’s the singer and you enjoy playing the guitar learn a song to play and perform somewhere. A great at home date idea!
Watch Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper for some romantic musical inspiration for your romantic and complete free at home date.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- A musical instrument
- Snacks/drinks
Get creative on your indoor date night
Try to do something new for you in the arts.
Try painting a portrait, or draw a landscape, or sculpt with clay.
Or if none of those are for you an adult coloring book is always a fun option too.
You can have your very own couples wine and paint night – at home!
If you don’t already have equipment, here is a full painting kit to prepare for your date!
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Art equipment
- Snacks
- Drinks like wine!
Do a puzzle
Work on a complex puzzle together.
Trust me, this can actually take awhile if you get the right one.
And you’ll feel so accomplished when you get done putting that final piece in.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- A good puzzle
- Snacks
- Drinks like wine!
Cloud watch
Lay out on some nice green grass on a blanket and do some cloud watching together on a beautiful day.
You could even take a nap! (Just make sure you’re in the shade).
The best part – it’s cute and completely free if you’re on a budget.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- A fabulous outdoor blanket
- Snacks
- Drinks like wine!
Ask questions
Take time to continue getting to know each other. Your likes, dislikes, dreams, goals, and passions.
Never quit trying to get to know each other.
People change over time. Keep in touch with who your loved one is now (they might surprise you).
If you don’t know what questions to ask, this is a great question game.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Questions
- Snacks
- Drinks like wine!
Bubble bath
Take a nice long bubble bath together!
Break out the wine, light some scented candles, drop in some bath bombs, with a splash of romantic music in the background. Oh yeah.
This is one of our favourite at home date idea for parents because you can do it when the kids go to bed.
We just love this home spa kit!
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Delicious smelling bubble bath!
- A bath
- Wine
Couples bucket list
Write out a bucket list that you both can do together. Dream big and start saving!
We recently visited Prague which is a place on many people’s bucket lists!
Audiobook
Take a day to listen to an audiobook together. Grab the snacks and drinks and dive in.
You’d be surprised how hooked you can get!
HOW TO PREPARE:
- A great audio book
- Wine
Communicate on your indoor date night!
Work on your communication skills as a couple. Communication is the most important thing in any good relationship.
Talk about things you can work on together to improve your relationship.
Write out goals that you want to achieve, goals to work on as a couple, learn each other’s love languages and practice them often.
Continue studying your partner until you have your masters degree on them.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- A delicious meal
- Snacks
- Wine or a beverage of your choice (this could get deep!)
Would you rather…?
Play the game “would you rather” together. You will be busting up laughing and having a good time before you know it.
Massages
Take turns giving each other massages to help you both relax and strengthen your relationship.
This is a great option after a long day of work.
Do it in a nice hot bath, laying down on the bed, or just sitting in front of the tv. Whichever works for you. You’re partner will appreciate you!
Make an indoor cubby house!
Whoever said adults were too old for cubby houses was clearly sorely mistaken!
A indoor cubby house is a great date night idea when you don’t want to head out for the evening.
Movie night (WHAT WE SAID ANYTHING BUT?)
Does that of the 50 above dates sound rubbish to you?
Okay we can go back to a movie, I guess…
Who doesn’t love gettin’ cozy on the couch with some popcorn, drinks, and candy and having a movie night in your living room? Turn the volume up, and put your chairs front and center.
No fighting for good seats, no missing any parts of the movie because you have to pee, and you can even subtitle it if you want!