15 At-Home Date Night Ideas (No Babysitter Needed)

Shila:  Enjoy a friendly board game competition. I recommend a board game that typically requires longer time to play, along with a little strategy, such as Scrabble or Monopoly. Each move is a little more interesting than the next!

Shila:  Shuffle up your date night by simply using a traditional deck of cards. Strategic 2-player cards games can include Gin Rummy, Trash, etc.

Kelly R:  Set up a casual wine tasting or beer flight at home with a variety of bottles and a spread of cheese and crackers. If you want to make this a regular thing, start taking notes in an app or journal to keep track of your favorites.

Kristy Pepping:  Write a list of questions the other has to answer. Then guess each other's answers. See how much you really know!

Shila:  After the kids go to bed, set up a white table cloth dinner table complete with candles. It doesn't matter what type of food is served, it's just interesting to have an elaborate place setting for your at-home dinner - like Lady and the Tramp!

Shila:  Of course you can download a brand new release, but also consider watching a really old movie too! Throw it back and turn on some major classics or love stories. From the black and white film days to movies from the 90's, it's nice to purposefully take a pause and look back at these too.

Shila:  If you have backyard space, forget the patio seating and instead lay out a blanket. Enjoy a picnic, lay back, and stare at the stars!

Shila:  Hopefully you have a good idea of what your partner typically enjoys ordering at restaurants because this "mystery dinner" involves you ordering FOR the other person. You choose the restaurant in secret and place the order for delivery. You can give some hints, of course, but the mystery dinner will be revealed at the front door!

Kelly R:  Take your own turn at playing the family's game system together without the kids! Up to you whether you want to try a cooperative game together or battle it out!

Shila:  Catch up on the latest TV series craze or binge watch anything new. Dating tip: take a seat next right to each other and share a blanket!

Kelly R:  There are a lot of stand-up comedy specials on Netflix and other streaming services, and watching one of these together is a fun date night activity that feels more like a live experience. We're fans of Jim Gaffigan's parenting humor!

Whether you're brainstorming spots for your next vacation or creating a full travel itinerary, dedicating some time to planning a family adventure is a great idea for either an at home date night activity or a family night in with older kids who can help with research.

Spend your date night at home creating a music playlist together. Pick a theme like favorite songs from college or road trip tunes!

Kelly R:  Google Arts & Culture offers virtual access to tours and collections from museums around the world. You can enjoy visiting them together right from the comfort of your own couch.

Shila:  Get nostalgic and open up your old photo albums together. Dust them off the shelves and flip through time. Depending on how many years have passed, the albums could bring back a ton of fond memories!