7 Date Night Ideas That You Can Do At Home

As new parents, prioritising and fitting in date nights away from home can be a challenge. Ideally, time out of the house together can be great- you get a change of scenery, an opportunity to dress up and you can go somewhere new. But sometimes, it's just not feasible and may not happen as much as you'd like:

• Your children may not sleep through the night (do they ever?)
• Breastfeeding might mean you can't leave for long periods of time
• Finding a babysitter who your children feel comfortable with isn't easy
• You don't feel like dressing up
• Date nights can be expensive and can accumulate if done regularly

All of the above shouldn't be reasons for you to miss out on date night. After you have a baby, the romance and spark in your relationship undoubtedly needs a helping hand. Your priorities shift, you're both more tired, frustrated, and irritable, and it's so easy to fall into a rut when you spend your whole day looking after the children and/or working. Intentionally setting time aside simply to be with your other half will allow you to prioritise each other for once, and be reminded that you're more than just 'mum and dad'. You were a couple before you had a child, and you're still a couple after you've had a child- so make sure you carve out time to nurture the relationship.

Here are some date night ideas which you can do from the comfort of your own home and which won't require you to get a babysitter:

1. Get a couples massage

There is no better way to completely unwind than to have a nice relaxing massage in the comfort of your own home. Urban is absolutely amazing for this - they have a huge range of practitioners and treatments, with reviews and ratings to help you choose the right massage for your needs. They bring their own bed and oils, and some even have their own portable speakers to play relaxing music for you while you have your treatment.

Book two practitioners at the same time, and set the scene by dimming the lights, putting on some candles, and slipping into some fluffy bathrobes. You can book using this link to get £10 off your first massage.

2. Cosy up outside

If you have a garden or a balcony, grab a warm blanket, make some hot chocolates and sit outside together. Just because you're not going out for date night, doesn't mean you can't sit outside - just make sure the baby monitor is still connected! There's something so special and romantic about sitting outside at night under the open sky.

Bonus tip: If you have a firepit, light this up to keep you warm and make some yummy smores!

3. Have a games night

A little bit of healthy competition can actually be a really fun way to bring you closer, lighten the mood and change things up. There are so many different games depending on what you both like. If you want to add in some more excitement, make it into a bet- Loser does the chores for the rest of the week!

Here are some of my favourite two player games:

• Codenames: Duet
• Monopoly Deal
• Hive
• More or Less
• Scrabble
• Bananagrams

4. Plan your next holiday

If you're thinking of planning a holiday this year, use your next date night to discuss destinations, shortlist some nice hotels and put together an itinerary. If you aren't planning any trips and/or don't have the budget, make a bucket list and talk about the holidays that you would love to go on one day- there's absolutely no harm in having a look at what's out there! It'll be a nice escape from the mundane day-to-day autopilot and will get you both excited and inspired for the future.

5. Exercise together

This may not be for everyone, but if you and your partner both enjoy working out, this is such a good way to release endorphins and to do something that's good for your bodies. There are so many fun couple workouts and challenges on YouTube, you might enjoy it more than you think!

6. Have a fine dining experience at home

So you want a delicious, home cooked meal but cooking is the last thing you want to do and a takeaway just isn't cutting it. Why not hire a chef to come to your house and cook for you? It sounds extravagant and very celebrity-like, but there are so many chefs who offer mobile services at affordable prices. Some even offer private cooking lessons so you can learn something together and replicate the meal again whenever you like.

The variety and exact prices will depend on your location and your requirements, but if you're based around London, yhangry is an excellent option. Originally a Dragon's Den start up, they work with over 100 chefs serving the London and surrounding areas. All of them have extensive experience and culinary skills, and can cater to almost any dietary requirement (halal, kosher, organic, vegan, you name it). The pricing is all completely transparent and the website is SO easy to use. You can see all the information about the chefs in your area, and they even have a choice of preset menus (which all look and sound amazing!) if you like. Use this link or enter the code 'MTAM' at checkout to get £25 credit towards your first booking.

7. Learn something new

Thanks to an abundance of amazing resources online such as Youtube, Skillshare, and Udemy, you can learn practically anything without having to go anywhere. Choose something you've both been wanting to learn, and that's your next few date nights sorted. You've even got a built in partner to practice your new skills with! Examples of skills you can learn involve a new language, painting, or something a little more challenging like coding or investing.

If you don't fancy committing to a course or can't decide on a skill to learn, you can watch a documentary or a YouTube video on a topic that you're both interested in - it's an easy way to learn about something new, and it might even prompt a new hobby!

P.S. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, so when you click on one of the affiliate links in the post and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Every recommendation that I share in my content will always be honest, genuine and based on personal experience.

I hope you enjoyed reading these - there are so many ways to reconnect with your partner regardless of the location, and once you find something you both enjoy and look forward to doing together, it's such a nice way to reset, check-in and reconnect with each other after a long week.

Let me know if you try any of these in the comments below!