Whether you are looking for something special to do for Valentine’s Day or just want to spend some time with the one you love, we have some great date night ideas for you.
Date night doesn’t have to be expensive or extravagant, you can enjoy time at home (or at your ‘home away from home’ if you’re travelling) and still make it romantic and special.
Themed movie and take out
Not in the mood for cooking? Try having a themed movie and take out night. You could watch Amelie and order in some indulgent French food and treat yourselves to a bottle of French Champagne or maybe put on Forgetting Sarah Marshall and tuck into some Hawaiian BBQ and fruity cocktails.
Read together
Find a book that you both enjoy, then curl up together and take turns reading out loud to each other. It’s a great way to tick a book off your reading bucket list and perfect for a lazy night in.
Picnic under the stars
Spread a picnic rug out in your back yard and pack your favourite wine, cheeses, crackers or other picnic food (don’t forget the dessert!) and enjoy some quiet time together looking up at the stars. Try to spot a shooting star or look for constellations. There are some great apps such as Sky Map and Sky View that will help you identify stars, planets and constellations.
Around the world one meal at a time
Choose a different country each date night and research their most popular or national dishes (planning the night together is part of the fun!), then put aside an afternoon or evening to work together to cook up a feast. You might even like to decorate your dining table to reflect the country you have chosen.
Youtube party
Have a Youtube party, get nostalgic and take turns playing your favourite clips such as your favourite music videos from when you were in school, you favourite shows from when you were a kid that you’d forgotten about, funny sketches or trivia.
Games night
Who said date night can’t get a little competitive? Bust out the board games for a fun night at home (loser does the dishes?). There are plenty of fun games suitable for 2 players from classics like Scrabble, Twister and Yahtzee or try something a bit different like Android: Netrunner, Viticulture or Burger Up.
Share a skill
We all have our own unique skills and talents, so why not take turns teaching each other something that you are good at. It could be anything from decorating a cake, playing a video game, doing the waltz or even how to change a tire. It is a great way to spend time together, teaches patience, and you might even find a new hobby that you can do together in the future.
Paint with Bob
Do remember The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross? Yes, the big haired, ‘happy little trees’ painting instructor from the 80’s. Well, you can now watch his episodes for free on Youtube. For an extra challenge, work on a painting together with your partner and try to keep up with the video.
Slumber party
Who said slumber parties are just for kids? Drag your mattress and pillows out to the lounge room, make a big bowl of popcorn and stay up all night watching trashy movies.
Blackout
Turn off the lights, light some candles and have an electricity free night without the TV, computers or stereos (no phones and tablets allowed!). Tell stories, sing songs or have a candlelit dinner.
Plan your dream holiday
Put your heads together and start planning your dream holiday. What country have you always wanted to visit? Plan out your ‘must visit’ locations, activities you want to do and foods you are dying to try.
Lounge room dance party
Push the furniture aside, put on your favourite music and dance the night away. If you want to perfect your ballroom moves check out Youtube for some instructional videos, or put a rock song on and bust out your best strut and air guitar.
Rescripting shenanigans
Find a clip on the TV or online from the trashiest soap opera or movie that you can find (in any language), hit the mute button, and come up with your own dialogue to go with the action on screen. The sillier the better.
Flash back
Take a stroll down memory lane and dig out your old journals, photo albums or letters from when you first met. If you got together more recently, scroll back through your Facebook albums and see all the fun things you have done together since you met.