25 Date Night Ideas for Married Couples

Have your date nights fallen into a rut, or even worse, are they basically non-existent? Now you can inject your marriage with new life when you enjoy one of these 25 date night ideas for married couples. And don’t worry, because I know how hard it can be to get out of the house with little ones, I’ve included at-home alternatives for many of these super fun date nights!

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission at no extra cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.

Collage of Photos with text overlay - 25 Date Night Ideas for Married Couples

 

[bctt tweet=”Whether your date nights are in a rut or non-existant, you’ll be ready to spice things up at home and on the go with these 25 date night ideas for married couples! #diyadulation #datenight” username=”diyadulation”]

It is soooo hard to make time for date night when your have a house full of kids, jobs, extra curricular activities, and 1000 other things that vie for your time and attention. Trust me, I get it. Not only do we have all of the above, we also have to schedule things around drill weekends, business trips, and military education courses. It’s not easy.

The problem is that when you stop making your relationship a priority, it quickly becomes something that struggles. Now that all of our kids are in school during the day, we started having the occasional lunch together during the week. It is a simple way to enjoy each other without having to worry about a sitter or trying to stay up late after the kids go to bed (which we’re not great at).

Unfortunately, even that is going to have to end with the implement of a new work schedule. That’s forced us to realize we have to get proactive in carving out date nights for ourselves. Even one night a month can do wonders for your intimacy and the strength of your relationship. Luckily, I’ve got a ton of awesome ideas to try out below!

1. Have a Coffee Date

Coffee is a staple in our life but there’s something special about chatting with your spouse over a delicious coffee splurge. The best thing about a coffee date is it is super easy to fit in no matter how short your time constraint is.

2. Go to a Drive In

Skip the traditional movie date on your next date night and opt for a drive-in instead. If you can’t get out of the house, grab your tablet and watch a new movie from the comfort of your car and maybe make a move on your spouse while you’re at it.

3. Have a Romantic Picnic

There’s no rule that says a budget-friendly date night can’t be romantic. Plan a romantic picnic at a local park or, if you can’t get a sitter, take it to the backyard. Cook up a delicious meal and spread out a blanket for a romantic meal together. Kick up the romance a notch and enjoy your picnic at sunset or in the early evening by candlelight.

4. Play a Board Game Together

Personally, we love board games! Even if you’re not the fans that we are, there are ton of options out there. You can literally find something no matter what your tastes are. This is a quick and easy date night idea that you can pull out anytime you have some free time together.

5. Head to an Arcade

There’s nothing better than an awesome competitive night at an arcade. Grab your spouse and head to the nearest game stop. If you love classic arcade game, try to find a retro arcade packed full of Pac-Man, DigDug, and Space Invaders!

6. Play a Video Game Together

You don’t have to head to the arcade to get your game on. Instead, spend some time playing your spouse’s favorite video game on the console at home. You can even go retro here with one of these awesome plug and play games.

7. Visit an Escape Room

Try your sleuth skills together at an escape room! Even if you don’t solve the puzzle you’re still sure to have an awesome time together.

8. Go Dancing

When is the last time you enjoyed a dance together? Whether you like line dancing, a waltz, or prefer freestyle you can find somewhere to do it. If you want to really up your skills skip the bar/club and take some dance lessons together.

9. Play Laser Tag

Team up or compete against each other in an epic battle of laser tag. Again, this one can be done at an paid establishment or buy a kit and play at home any time. Play one round or multiple rounds. Either way, loser buys/makes dessert after!

10. Play an RPG Game

Until recently, I never would have thought you could have a fun date night playing an RPG (role playing game) because one of you would have to be the game master. Luckily, we found Pathfinder deck game (we have Wrath of the Righteous) which is an awesome alternative to the traditional RPG because the cards direct the game play instead of a game master. With it you can both work together to defeat the baddies.

11. Watch a Stand-Up Comedy Show

Hit the local comedy club and take in a show full of laughs. Laughing together is a great way to bond and grow closer. If going out isn’t an option, watch a comedy special on Netflix after the kiddos go to bed.

12. Take a Drive to Nowhere

When is the last time you and your spouse got in the car and enjoyed a drive? Grab your favorite tunes and hop in the car to take a drive with no destination in mind. Enjoy the sights and each others company for this super simple date night.

13. Go On a Double Date

Admittedly, we are terrible about this one. We probably haven’t been on a double date in 4 years but it has always been fun when we did it in the past. Even better, sometimes including more people opens up more date night possibilities. Take turns picking the activities with other couples and find new things you love to do.

14. Paint Pottery Together

This is another great date night that lets you unleash you creative side together. If you can’t get out of the house to do it, you can also enjoy this date at home. Hit up a craft store and purchase unpainted ceramic pieces and your paints. After the kids go to bed, pull out your materials and create something beautiful together.

15. Drive Go Karts

Put the pedal to the metal with a fun and competitive go karts date! It’s a super fun and high energy date that will have you laughing together for hours. Bonus points if you get to gloat your victory after.

16. Join a Sports League Together

Why not take all of the guess work out of date night and join a sports league? There are leagues for bowling, darts, basketball, volleyball, and more. Find a sport you both enjoy (or would like to try) and make a weekly date night out of it. You might even make some new couples friends while you’re at it.

17. Go Swimming

Hit the beach, the pool, or even an indoor water park for some splashy fun. What is great about a swimming date is that it pushes you out of your comfort zone if you hate wearing a swimsuit (like yours truly) and adds a little sexy to your date night. Seeing your spouse dripping wet in a swimsuit is hot. Period.

18. See a Concert

There are so many options for concerts these days. You can purchase tickets to see your favorite groups, of course, but you can also check out free performances as well. Maybe a local band is playing at a bar near you or check out festivals for free concert options. Don’t limit yourself to the “rock concert” idea either. You can also check out orchestral concerts or even choral concerts to change things up.

19. Go Roller Skating

When is the last time you strapped on a pair of skates and took to the rink? If you’re anything like me, probably not since high school. Change that with your next date night and hit up a roller rink. Don’t forget to indulge in a Suicide together when you’re thirsty! (If you’ve never had one, a Suicide is when you miss all of the fountain drinks together into one beverage.)

20. Visit the Book Store

For nerds like me, a trip to the book store is always a fun date night. Personally, I recommend hitting up a store like Half Price Books because in addition to tons of awesome things to read, you can also peruse board games, video games, vinyl albums and CD’s, and even find a new movie for your next movie night. So much awesomeness in one date night.

21. Tackle a DIY Project Together

If you’ve never taken on a do-it-yourself project together, take my advice and start with something small. For some reason, stress and a big messy project can bring out the worst in people. This is especially true if you’ve never worked together in this kind of setting. Your styles for completing the project are going to differ. Better to pick something you can complete in an afternoon and enjoy the fruits of your labor right away.

22. Go For Ice Cream

Date night doesn’t always have to mean hours spent eating a meal or watching a show on the big screen. Instead, take 45 minutes to yourselves and indulge your sweet tooth with some ice cream. Feel free to pick somewhere that you can get some totally crazy creation, but take my advice, gummy bears in ice cream leads to hard-to-chew frozen bears that really don’t taste great.

23. Try a New Restaurant

When you don’t go out to eat very often, it’s easy to fall into a habit of picking the same restaurant whenever you do eat out. Change up your routine and try someplace new for your next date night. How many tiny restaurants do you drive by and never stop at? What family-owned (non-chain) restaurants haven’t had the pleasure of your patronage? You can even make a list of new places you want to try and pick one at random for a dinner date once a month.

24. Get a Professional Photo Shoot

The kids get school pictures every year and you sometimes get family photos on vacations or at Christmas, but when was the last time you and your spouse got professional pictures alone? Get dressed up and make a date of getting professional photos done. These don’t have to be some crazy boudoir thing, it can simply mean hiring a photographer and hitting the park or even hitting a JC Penney. Don’t forget to order prints to hang at home when you’re done.

25. Make Out in the Backseat Like Teenagers

How about a date night that you don’t have to get a sitter for that will make you feel like teenagers again. After the kiddos go to bed, hop into the backseat of the car, turn on some tunes, and make out like teenagers. You might feel awkward at first, but “Hey!” that’s how you felt as a teenager, too, right? Don’t feel the need to jump right into it either. You can bring some snacks and talk for a while before getting to the sexy stuff.

 

Close Up of Nesting Heart Bowls with text overlay - 25 Date Night Ideas for Married Couples

You’ll be ready for your next date night easily with these 25 date night ideas for married couples. Even when you can’t get a sitter or get out of the house, there’s still plenty of fun you can have together. Stop putting off date night and make your marriage a priority again with these ideas to get you started.

See where I’m linking up!

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

Smiling Husband and Wife with text overlay - 25 Date Night Ideas for Married Couples

More Ideas You’ll Love:

Free Printable Family Christmas Charades

One of the best things about getting together with family for the holidays is the games! From board games to gift-giving games, there is always a ton of fun to be had. Everyone can get in on the entertainment with this free printable family Christmas Charades because it’s reader and non-reader friendly.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission at no extra cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.

Decorated Christmas Tree and Charades Cards with text overlay - Free Printable Christmas Charades

Don’t forget to check out the kickoff post, 50+ Ideas to Jump Start Your Holidays, to see the schedule for all of the 12 Days of Holiday Ideas Blog Hop. Plus get inspired for your holiday season with DIY projects, recipes, and games while you’re there!

[bctt tweet=”Games are one of the best things about the holidays! Play one everyone can enjoy with this free printable family Christmas Charades game!” username=”diyadulation”]

One of my goals this year is to get more games that are both entertaining for the adults and that my 5 year old can play. So many of the kid’s games are boring (Chutes and Ladders anyone?) so the little ones get indulged in 1-2 games during the holidays before we move onto more challenging games.

I love Cranium and charades is totally a part of that game. That inspired me to create a family-friendly charades game that can be played by everyone. There are pictures for my beginning-readers and words to help them practice. They can act out their cards without any help which makes them feel more independent too.

 

Printable Charades Cards Preview

Family Christmas Charades

This free printable family Christmas Charades game is the perfect festive way to kick back with the family this holiday season. Even better, it’s super portable so you can take it along to all of the festivities with you no matter how far you travel.

How to Play

Step 1

Print out your free printable family Christmas Charades game. Be sure that you have the double-sided box checked on your computer if printing on your home computer. I also recommend printing them on cardstock for more durable cards.

Step 2

Place all of the printed cards in a small bag and give them a shake.

Step 3

Divide into teams and take turns drawing a card from the bag.

Step 4

Then try to get your team to guess what’s on your card in 2 minutes. If they do, your teams gets a point.

Step 5

The team with the most points when the bag runs out wins.

A Great Gift Idea

This game also makes a great stocking stuffer or a unique hostess gift. Simply place your cards in a metal tin (like this one) and wrap it up with a pretty bow. If you’re feeling super ambitious, print out an extra copy of the card backs and attach it to the lid of the tin with Mod Podge.

Note:

Decorated Christmas Tree with text overlay - Free Printable Christmas Charades

Be a hero this Christmas when you whip out this free printable family Christmas Charades game. Not to mention, you have a totally budget-friendly hostess gift for every party your go to. Now, do you want even more game ideas? Scroll down and check out the ideas from my friends at the links below!

See where I’m linking up!

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

Decorated Christmas Tree with text overlay - Free Printable Christmas Charades
 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

We have a BIG GIVEAWAY from our Sponsors this year!

Giveaway begins Nov. 8, 2019 and ends Dec. 6, 2019. Winners will be notified by December 13, 2019. Sponsors will ship each prize to the winner. There will be a total of seven winners, one for each prize. Drawing is by random selection using the Rafflecopter widget. 

Must be 18 to win. Open to U.S. residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to Survive the Holidays with Depression

The holidays are a magical time full of family, love, and parties. Unfortunately for moms with depression, this also translates into overwhelm and spiraling as the obligations feel like they’re piling on top of you. These tips for how to survive the holidays with depression can keep you from the fallout of the holiday chaos.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission at no extra cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.

Collage of Winter Photos with text overlay - How to Survive the Holidays with Depression

 

[bctt tweet=”The holidays are meant to be enjoyed. Don’t let depression hold you back. Find out how to survive the holidays with depression for your best holiday ever.” username=”diyadulation”]

Don’t forget to check out the kickoff post, 50+ Ideas to Jump Start Your Holidays, to see the schedule for all of the 12 Days of Holiday Ideas Blog Hop. Plus get inspired for your holiday season with DIY projects, recipes, and games while you’re there!

Depression is hard to deal with even in the best of circumstances. Add in all of the pressure of the holidays and you push yourself too far. That leads to more bad days throughout the holiday and at the end of the season you are physically and emotionally exhausted.

Make a plan now to avoid the depression spiral later with these helpful tips and ideas. Your future self will thank you. P.S. Grab a free printable quick-reference guide here.

Holiday Depression Survival Guide Printable

Plan Early

Planning early is two-fold. First, get activities in your calendar now for ways to recoup from holiday stress. Choose things that recharge you and, most importantly, MAKE them happen. Remember that these activities are just as vital as any other holiday obligation.

Second, decide early when events are happening and which ones you will attend. Don’t try to do it all and cram your calendar so full that you don’t have breathing room.

Note:

Make a Budget

Financial guilt during and after the holidays affects people without depression greatly. Coupled with depression, the guilt can be crippling. Avoid that by making a budget and sticking to it. Don’t wrack up mountains of credit card debt trying to please everyone and do it all.

Need some tips on how to save money during the holidays? Check out Making a Plan for Your Holiday Spending!

Don’t Miss Out on Sleep

If parties and family gatherings interrupt your sleep schedule during the holiday season, schedule in time for naps and days to sleep in. Work it out with your husband to get up with the kids on his days off so you can catch some extra zzz’s. Load the kids up in bed with you with a movie and make it a family nap time to get that blissful rest your body needs.

Soak Up Sunshine

Resist the urge to hunker down this winter. Take advantage of activities that get you out of the house and in the sunshine when it’s available. This can be as simple as taking a walk through your neighborhood or building a snowman with your kids. Simply find things that will get you soaking up that happy light as often as you can.

No Guilty No’s

Let Go of the Guilt of Saying No. Everyone’s party, cookie exchange, caroling excursion is important to them, but you have to put yourself first. Don’t feel pressured to do everything. If helping out at the school party is important to you, maybe skip Karen’s cookie baking party this year.

If your extended family or in-laws have multiple holiday gatherings, talk to them about which one is most important to them. Let them know that you cannot make each one but will attend the gathering that is most important to them. This is a great way to cut down on obligations without hurting feelings.

Enlist Help

Yes, supermom, you can totally make the food, buy and wrap the presents, and loving write and address 50 holiday cards but you don’t have to do it alone. Enlist the help of your spouse and kiddos to make the process easier. Work it out with other moms to take turns carpooling kids to practices so you can catch a breather.

Let Go of Perfection

I am very guilty of building grandiose ideas in my head of the perfect holiday with my family. Then, when it doesn’t work out that way I struggle to cope. Temper your expectations and don’t try to plan the “perfect” holiday. Enjoy the time with your family and don’t get too bogged down in details or a unrealistic time-line you’ve made in your mind.

You don’t need the perfect gift, perfect decorations, or the perfect Hallmark Christmas experience. When you find yourself getting bogged down in this self-imposed pressure, remember that all your friends and family really want is a happy and healthy momma. The greatest thing you can do is take a deep breath and think about what the season is truly about: love and gratitude.

 

Woman in the Snow with text overlay - How to Survive the Holidays with Depression

The holidays are meant to be enjoyed. Don’t let depression hold you back from that. Keep these tools for how to survive the holidays with depression handy and enjoy your best holiday season ever. Want even more awesome holiday survival guides? Check out all of the ideas from my friends below!

See where I’m linking up!

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

Woman in the Snow with text overlay - How to Survive the Holidays with Depression

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

We have a BIG GIVEAWAY from our Sponsors this year!

Giveaway begins Nov. 8, 2019 and ends Dec. 6, 2019. Winners will be notified by December 13, 2019. Sponsors will ship each prize to the winner. There will be a total of seven winners, one for each prize. Drawing is by random selection using the Rafflecopter widget. 

Must be 18 to win. Open to U.S. residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway