10 At-Home Date Ideas — Boston Mamas

Those of us who live with a partner may sometimes feel like we have far more than enough “together time” during this period of social distancing. But the reality is that right now it’s especially important to keep prioritizing your partner and making space for romance, especially since a lot of together time involves managing kid details. With the news today of school being out for the year, it’s even more important to find ways to stay connected. Here are ideas we have collected for at-home date nights.

1. Timing Is Everything

First things first: you must define your time. We recommend thinking strategically. If you have teens who sleep in, an early morning date makes sense. With younger kids who are reliable sleepers, after bedtime may be your best bet. And if your crew can’t be counted on for consistent sleeping patterns, it’s perfectly appropriate to plan for 30-60 minutes during the day with a little screen time support.

2. Fancy Dinner and Drinks

Inspiration for today’s post came from seeing the photos my friends posted of their recent anniversary date. They completely transformed their living room with twinkle lights and candles, set a stunning dinner table, and turned on music they love before sitting down to dine on an incredible meal, delivered from their favorite restaurant, complete with drink mixes and desserts. Romance AND supporting a local business = double win.

3. Dance the Night Away

Turn the lights down low and move to the music. Need to boost skills and confidence? Try taking virtual Latin or Ballrooom Dance classes together. Or maybe Hip Hop is more your thing. Whatever calls to you, we think dancing is hard to beat when it comes to stay-at-home romance.

4. Take In A Broadway Show

Curl up on the couch for a night out at the theater. Take your pick from dozens of filmed Broadway plays and musicals. Afterward, enjoy a bit of Broadway karaoke for kicks.

5. Puzzles and Games

There’s something spectacularly soothing about taking time to put together a puzzle or play a game. Favorite grown up games in our house include Scrabble, Boggle, Trivial Pursuit, and cribbage, while lately our puzzling has focused on vibrant, colorful puzzles like the Northern Lights, marbles, and buttons puzzles. Christine offers lots of other fun game suggestions here, plus more puzzles right here.

6. Double Date

Get together with other couple friends over Zoom. We’ve been getting a lot of laughter therapy by playing games together like this online version of Cards Against Humanity called Remote Insensitivity.

7. Work It Out

Get moving together. Neighborhood walks, runs, and long bike rides are obviously great. But if you could use a change, many local gyms and yoga studios are now offering their classes online. You could even try some of the ideas we shared in 9 Ways to Get Kids Moving Right Now.

8. Meditate

Almost twenty years ago, my husband and I spent the second half of our honeymoon at a silent meditation retreat for ten days. And we think there’s never been a more important time to include meditation in your love life. If you need some help getting started, apps like Insight Timer, Headspace, and Calm have great guided meditations.

9. Cook Together

Our kids almost always watch a show or play video games during the hour before dinner, making it the perfect time to hang out, listen to music, chat uninterrupted, and make a meal together. Whether we prepare something elaborate or something super simple, this time has become a favorite touchstone in our day.

10. Get Outside

Just because we’re stuck at home doesn’t mean we’re stuck inside. Hang out on your porch or lawn together sans kidlets. This is pretty easy to accomplish with older kids, obviously, but it’s also totally doable with younger ones as well. Try taking the baby monitor with you so you can get some fresh air together while they sleep.