Stay-in date ideas are much sought after lately. After an especially long week, nothing can beat a quiet Friday night in. The question then becomes, what can you do with this day in? Below are 13 fun indoor date ideas aimed for a mix of engaging, bonding, and relaxing!
13 Stay-In Date Ideas
1. Play a Board Game or Card Game
Play each other’s favorite board or card game, or buy a new one to experience together! Some to try out include Ticket to Ride, Gin Rummy, Checkers, or Monopoly (be advised, pieces might go flying).
2. Make a Dinner or Dessert Together
During the week, meals are thrown together during busy schedules. However, by blocking out time that is specifically for two-hours of cooking, it can become a relaxing way to make something delicious together. Go for something adventurous, like homemade pizza, pasta, or even bao. For added fun, make a dessert. Make homemade smores, a hummingbird cake, or any sweet treat you two enjoy together.
3. Get Crafty
Break out some watercolors, pencils, pens, yarn, or even popsicles sticks and make some crafts together. Neither of you has to have any artistic ability, and the craft doesn’t even have to be done well, just enjoy the process of creating something with your partner!
4. Ask Each Other Questions
This is a perfect time to ask some stupid or meaningful questions to each other. To have some inspiration: The 36 questions that lead to love, and even the newlywed game are fun.
5. Do a Puzzle Together
Doing a puzzle is a good way to chill out, work on a task, and be with your partner. Making a puzzle is more cooperative than playing games against each other. Pro tip: use a muffin baking tray to separate similar pieces before starting.
6. Read Aloud to Each Other
This might sound odd, but it can be a lot of fun. Pick a book you are interested in and read to each other. It can be a serious book that leads to discussions of politics or it can be a fiction book filled with over-the-top character voices. Anything goes!
7. Make Some Mixed Drinks
Instead of going out for drinks, make them at home. Look up your favorite recipes ahead of time and have the ingredients ready for the date. The bonus, for the price of two drinks out, you can get almost five times that by making it at home.
8. Create a Bucket List
This can be any bucket list of things you two want to do together. It could be travel, future dates, classes to take together, or anything. This is a good time to assess how you want to plan your future time together. If the prices are good, you could even book a trip that night and have something to look forward to.
9. Have a Music Party
Make a playlist for each other and play it out loud. This can be done in conjunction with any of the other activities, or it can be on its own. Bonus points for dancing together and singing to each other. No one is around anyways!
10. Have a Movie Marathon
Pick a theme and watch as many movies as you can before passing out. Some common themes can be by genre, actor, or series.
11. Eat Out by Candlelight
Dress up nice, light up the dining room by candlelight, and dress up the table with a nice tablecloth. Put on some light jazz. Get down the fancy plates and have nice wine.
Then, answer the door for cheap Chinese food. There is nothing quite like eating cheap food in an indoor fancy setting.
12. Have a Spa Day
Get some facemasks, fluffy robes, set up candles, and treat yourselves like you are in a spa. It is a treat yo self-kind of night anyways!
13. Build a Fort in the Living Room
Get the pillows, sheets, blankets, and chairs. Assemble the best fort possible in the living room. Then relax in your home in a home.
Main Take-Aways:
- Take a handful of these ideas and make a fun stay-in date night
- It takes letting go of expectations and just having fun with it to have the most of a stay home night
Action item
- Plan a stay-home date night with your significant other for some time this month. Pick a handful of these ideas and have a great relaxing date in. You both deserve it.
