11 At-Home Date Night Ideas That Aren’t Just “Netflix and Chill”

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11 At-Home Date Night Ideas That Aren’t Just “Netflix and Chill”

Sure, staying in, ordering pizza, and watching Netflix can be fun. Or (if not fun), at least comfortable. It’s the classic Netflix and chill. But the last thing you and your partner want to do is slip into a routine where date night ideas consist of only you doing this time and again, night after night. Variety is the spice of life! And it’s a necessary ingredient in any relationship.

With that said, it’s also not like you and your partner need to climb a mountain together every week just to keep things fresh. There are plenty of at-home date night ideas that aren’t the typical Netflix and chill that you and your girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, or wife can enjoy. So if you’re asking yourself “what are some good date night ideas I could give a try this weekend?”

Here are 11 of our favorite at-home date night ideas you may want to give a try:

  1. Make Fondue Together
  2. Play In The Dark
  3. Have a Trivia Night
  4. Paint a Picture
  5. Have a Karaoke Night
  6. Have a Theme Night
  7. Read Books Aloud
  8. Play an Old-Fashioned Board Game
  9. Review Your Year
  10. Make Something Together
  11. Make Smores

1. Make Fondue Together

Whether cheese or chocolate, you and your partner are sure to enjoy eating fondue together. You can serve fondue with fruit, crackers, bread, or in many other ways. You can add fondue making to a movie night or do it as an after-dinner dessert. Either way, it’s sure to add some variety and fun into a stay-at-home date night.

2. Play In The Dark

One of the more unique and fun date night ideas on the list is to pretend the electricity is out. You don’t need to shut off the A/C and turn off the power. But switch off all the lights, move around with flashlights and candles, and only do things that do not require electricity. This is a fun way to play like you’re camping, but without really having to go camping.

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3. Have a Trivia Night

If you are in a long-term relationship, you may think that you know everything there is to know about each other. But that is rarely the case. And one way to spark new and exciting conversations and replace the typical “Netflix and chill” night is by playing trivia. You can ask some of the following questions:

· Which celebrity couple is most like us? This is a fun one to get things started. It’s a question you have likely never contemplated before, so giving it some thought can raise some interesting side conversations about how each of you thinks about yourselves and your relationship together.

· What is the most embarrassing thing you ever did? If you are in a long-term relationship, this might be something you have discussed in the past. Even if it is, go over it again as there is nothing more gut-wrenchingly funny (and cathartic) as revealing something embarrassing that you did in the past. If you haven’t had this conversation: Buckle up! You’re in for a fun ride.

· What is your favorite thing about me / what is my favorite thing about you? This one is a cute softball, but if you really consider your partner and answer this question thoughtfully, you can probably come up with something about them that you have never mentioned before. There is nothing quite like a new compliment from someone you care about.

Other questions can include:

  • What food makes you think of me and why?
  • What is your favorite thing I do for you?
  • What is one small thing I do that annoys you? (This one might offend you slightly. But, if you have an open mind, it can also strengthen your relationship)
  • Which of your parents did you get along with better as a kid? How about now?
  • What about your parent’s relationship do you want to emulate? What do you want to be different?
  • What was your first (honest) opinion about me?

Keep in mind that all of these questions should go both ways. Get an answer and then give one yourself.

As a way of compounding the effects of a cool at-home date night, you can have a trivia night with no electricity. Trivia, as it were, by candlelight.

Paint a picture

4. Paint a Picture

Regardless of your level of artistic talent, painting is an excellent way to spend the evening. You can set up shop in your living room or anywhere in the house, just make sure to lay down plastic and give yourself enough space to enjoy what you’re doing without worrying the whole time about getting a drop of paint on the brand-new carpet.

If you want to make things a bit easier on yourself and remove the chance of serious staining, try using watercolors as they are easy to mix and their stains can usually be removed if they land somewhere, they shouldn’t.

If you need date night ideas, the key to a successful paint night is proper planning. Don’t just toss a piece of copy paper in your partner’s face and say, “Here.” Instead, surprise them by setting up painting stations with canvas and everything else you need to get started. You can even come up with painting prompts where you can make a game out of both painting the same thing and seeing whose picture ends up coming out better.

Non Netflix and Chill | Karaoke singing

5. Have a Karaoke Night

Some people love karaoke, and others are genuinely embarrassed by it. Regardless of which category you fall into, it’s worth a try. If you like it, you’ll have fun. And if it’s something that embarrasses you, at least you are trying something new, and the only one to see you in all your embarrassing glory is your partner.

If you and your partner both enjoy karaoke, well then, you’re in luck! You can sing a duet like the ever-popular “Islands in the Stream.”

6. Have a Theme Night

Themed at-home date nights are always a fun idea. You can make these just a party for two, or you can invite another couple or two over and turn the themed night into a full-blown themed dinner party.

Here are a few themed date night ideas you can quickly put together:

· Rock n’ Roll: A rock n roll themed night means big hear, boots, and probably some kind of vest. You can combine this theme with singing karaoke to increase the fun.

· The 1920s: Considering its the 20s again, 1920 themed parties are on the rise this year—which is excellent from date nights. Just think Great Gatsby and have fun with it! You don’t need to go to the costume shop, work with what you have, and get creative!

· Country Club: Country club parties are fun. You just throw on colorful golf clothing and pretend to be snobbishly rich all night. That’s pretty much it. But the whole thing is surprisingly fun.

· Hawaiian: The Hawaiian shirt party is pretty much the opposite of the country club party. Here you and your partner wear oversized Hawaiian shirts, eat ham and pineapple (or whatever you want) and just, sort of, lounge. You can add to the theme with ocean white noise and by trying to learn how to hula dance. Just have fun with it!

Non Netflix and Chill Date Ideas

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7. Read Books Aloud

To modern couples, reading books aloud to each other might sound odd. But a century ago, doing so was quite common. And two centuries ago, it was the equivalent of Netflix and chill.

Reading books to each other out loud is an entertaining way to spend a few hours. You will probably begin by laughing at yourselves because, even for avid readers, reading aloud can trip them up a little until they get used to it. But, if you find a good book, the next thing you know, you will be listening to your partner read and will be simply delighted by the story. You can read two different books, where one person reads theirs first, and then the other person goes. Or you can read the same book and switch off at the end of each chapter. One suggestion, though, is not to try and switch off on every page as that can get confusing.

Date night Ideas | Play Board Games

8. Play an Old-Fashioned Board Game

Just because board games don’t have special effects does not mean they aren’t fun. Some couples love playing board games once in a while, and it’s a good substitute for the typical Netflix and chill night. Why? Because board games are more active than just enjoying the passive entertainment of a movie or TV show. They require that you look at your partner, think about your next move, and interact. All of these things are good, healthy ways to spend an evening.

You can also try doing a puzzle together. Large jigsaw puzzles can take a lot of time, and you shouldn’t feel pressured to finish them all in one night. You can, however, make a game out of completing them all in one night. Add a bottle of wine and some music, and suddenly racing to finish a jigsaw puzzle can become a pretty fun alternative.

9. Review Your Year

While you can’t do this one all the time. Instead of Netflix and chill, getting together once a year and reviewing everything you and your partner did and went through can be both nostalgic and fun. You can get all of your physical pictures (or, if you don’t have any print them out) along with any memorabilia from trips, or movies, or whatever, and put them all together in a scrapbook. Or you can stick them in a shoebox with the year written on it. The shoebox can be your annual time capsule!

10. Make Something Together

Building something together with your partner can be great fun. Regardless of how simple or complex what you make is, the memory of creating it is sure to be unique. Research things you can create together online and then surprise your partner one night by having everything ready to go, just follow the instructions!

11. Make Smores

This one works best if you have a fireplace or outdoor space where you can build one. If not, though, don’t worry, you can still make smores in the oven or microwave—just pretend it’s a fire!

Conclusion

At-home date nights do not have to be boring or monotonous. You can do more than just Netflix and chill. Get creative when coming up with date night ideas. Your partner will love it!

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