I’m excited to share something a little different with you today. Instead of my typical posts full of wedding planning tips or highlighting beautiful wedding and engagement photos, I’m sharing eight screenless date night ideas to up the romance in quarantine.
Maybe you can relate to our new normal – we’re now both home all the time, living in our pajamas, and showers are happening less than usual. It’s hard to keep track of what day of the week it is, never mind stay motivated to keep the romance alive when we’ve sunk into a Netflix binge-fest and are eating all the donuts and pasta we can find. Well, we decided we simply weren’t okay with that becoming our new reality and we used our anniversary as motivation to break our quarantine routine.
Scott and I celebrated our twelfth anniversary last month while in quarantine. We honored our anniversary with a special Saturday date night that kicked off what has become a weekly tradition for us. We’ve always worked hard on our relationship and these screenless date nights are just one more way we’re working together to keep our relationship strong and break the monotony of life lived in our house 98% of the time.
We’re really enjoying turning off screens and instead being intentional about nurturing our relationship. We actually like these date nights at home so much that we’re planning to keep them up when quarantine ends and we’re allowed back outside!
You can download these ideas in a nice printable file, along with our tips for making date nights super successful, in the Eight Screenless Date Night Ideas To Up The Romance In Quarantine guide at the bottom of this post. We hope you love these ideas and that they bring you closer to your partner in real and meaningful ways during this stressful time of stay-at-home orders and social distancing.
1) 36 Questions That Lead To Love (By Candlelight)
In two separate studies by psychologists, a set of 36 questions, separated into three sets of 12, are said to make those who answer them fall in love or fall back in love. At a minimum, the questions lead to great conversation and revelations about each other and can easily fill an evening as you dive deep into them.
How To Pull It Off
This one is beautiful for how simple it is and how much connection it creates. Print the questions, dim the lights, light the candles, sit close to each other, and go down the list of questions one at a time. You should each take a turn answering each question and don’t shy away from asking follow-up questions that may come up as you go.
2) At-Home Paint Night
Get your creative juices flowing for this artsy date night. Paint Nights include adult beverages and all attendees trying to recreate the same painting to take home with them. For this at-home version you’ll get to help each other out or decide who did it best and then toast to your fine works of art.
How To Pull It Off
Use colored pencils, crayons, paints, or whatever you have at home. Choose an image you’ll each try to recreate. Bonus points for picking an image that holds sentimental meaning so you can reminisce and share memories as you work. Print your image and display it so you can both see it (if you can’t print it – project it onto your tv – we’ll let this use of a screen slide!) and get to work.
3) A Picnic In Your Living Room
If we can’t go outside, at least we can get comfy on the floor of your living room! Picnics offer a chance to relax and eat finger foods and enjoy a change in perspective.
How To Pull It Off
Make space and spread out a blanket on your floor with lots of pillows for getting comfy. Prep an array of finger foods to graze on as you sip drinks together and chat. We went for cheese and crackers, nuts, veggies and hummus, and some dark chocolate for dessert!
4) Massage Therapy
This date night is a great way to ease stress and up romance at the same time. It allows you to spend time caring for each other through physical touch.
How To Pull It Off
Set the mood by putting clean sheets on the bed (one of my favorite simple pleasures!), lighting the candles, and tuning into the massage music station on Pandora. Then set a time for 20-30 minutes to give your partner a full-body massage. Switch when the timer goes off.
5) Board Games & Fancy Beverages
We opted for Scrabble, but whatever your game of choice, playing together ups your level of interaction far beyond binging anything on Netflix. And you can further break your quarantine routine by experimenting with a fancy cocktail or mocktail that isn’t just your go-to glass of wine.
How To Pull It Off
First, the beverages! Take some time to prep a pitcher of sangria, make a more labor-intensive favorite, or use the night to try a brand new cocktail you haven’t gotten around to trying yet. Lynne opts for margaritas with fresh lime juice and Scott loves a Manhattan in a martini glass. With drinks in hand, you’re ready for competition! Put on some music and pull out your board game of choice.
6) 4-Course Dinner
If you miss taking a break from cooking to go out to eat at one of your favorite restaurants, this date night is perfect for you! This is all about bringing your favorite restaurant home and enjoying a delicious meal together, complete with multiple courses and hardly any prep work. The key is to take it slow, enjoy each other, and savor each dish.
How To Pull It Off
Set the scene: pull out the fine china, the candles, and the linen napkins. Choose one of your favorite restaurants that’s still open for takeout and order an appetizer to share, one main entree each, and a dessert to share. Then, while you go pick up the order, have your partner prep a cheese plate that will become your first course. Then turn on some soft music, light the candles, and enjoy every bite!
7) Write & Exchange Love Letters
Saying “I love you” can lose its meaning if we never go deeper and remind ourselves and our partners of what it is that makes us love each other so much. This date night will push you past simply saying the words to share more and bring you closer together.
How To Pull It Off
Trying to squeeze the writing of your letter into your day can add stress and defeat the purpose of date night. So instead, start the night by putting on some music and writing your letters. Once you’ve written them, take turns reading them aloud to each other. Nothing is better than hearing your partner share exactly why they love you so deeply.
8) Truth Or Dare & Other Childhood Favs
Tap into your playful side by bringing back a few childhood favorites. Try a game of Truth or Dare. If you’re more into talking and less into doing dares, opt for “Would you rather?” or Scott’s favorite, “Who would win in a fight?” In case you aren’t familiar with this last one – you propose a fight between two people/creatures (real or fictional) and your partner must decide which would win and why? Basically, it’s like a conversation you’d see on Big Bang Theory.
How To Pull It Off
These games are great because they don’t require prep or props. Just snuggle up and share a bottle of wine as you pose hypothetical questions or dare each other to do something silly.
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