It’s always important to make time for date nights. Date nights help you connect and de-stress, and they keep the spark alive in your relationship. Right now, when most of us are sheltering in place or practicing social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, couples may not be able to go out for a traditional date night on the town. However, there are plenty of creative ways you can go on dates without ever leaving your home. Looking for ways to have fun and connect with your partner when you can’t go out? Read on to see our list of 9 creative stay-at-home date ideas! 

1. An Indoor Picnic 

Experience the charm of a picnic date in your home by having an indoor picnic. Set the scene by laying out a blanket, pillows, and any decor you like (such as flowers, candles, twinkle lights, etc.). Then, pack up some of your favorite finger foods and enjoy having a romantic picnic in your living room, on your balcony, or in your backyard.  

2. At-Home Dance Class or Dance Party

Now is a great time to brush up on your dance skills and learn some new moves. You could learn a partner dance, like the waltz or the tango, by looking up some instructional videos online. You could also learn the choreography from your favorite music video, brush up on your line dancing moves, or even learn a viral TikTok dance. Or, if you and your partner are more into freestyling, you could always just put on a great playlist and have a dance party in your living room. 

3. A Tasting Event 

Holding at at-home tasting is fun, novel, and delicious. You can go with the most classic tasting option and have a wine tasting. Or, you could also try chocolates, craft beers, gourmet cheeses, coffees, teas, or whatever else peaks your interest. During your tasting, you and your partner can try new things together, write down your tasting notes, and compare your thoughts on each item on the tasting menu. 

Note: To get the supplies for your tasting, consider making a pick up or delivery order at a local restaurant, cheese shop, wine shop, chocolate shop, or brewery. Holding a tasting event is a fun date idea and it’s also a great way to support the small businesses within your community! 

4. A Pantry Cook-Off Challenge

If you and your significant other enjoy a bit of healthy competition, consider having a pantry cook-off challenge. Blindly select some random ingredients from your cupboard, set a time limit, and see who can make the best dish. You can award points for taste, creativity, effort, or whatever else comes to mind. 

5. A Relaxing Spa Day At Home

Treat yourself and your love to a day of self-care by having a spa day at home. If you don’t have any spa treatments on hand, do some spa-day-prep by looking up and making DIY recipes for things like bath bombs, body scrubs, and facemasks. Then, start your spa day by swapping off on massage duties before enjoying your store-bought or DIY spa treatments. 

6. A Fancy Drinks Date In 

Have an elevated date-night-in by dressing up and enjoying some excellent drinks at home. Dress to the nines like you would when going out to a fancy spot, then make some craft cocktails and enjoy each other’s company. You can simply chat while you sip your drinks or you can do something together. Some ideas of activities you can enjoy while on your drinks date include taking a virtual museum tour or reminiscing over old photos. You could also consider turning this date into a double date by meeting up with another couple over video chat. 

7. Sharing Your Favorite Films 

If you and your partner just want to relax and veg out on your date night, there’s always this classic stay-in date night idea: have a movie marathon. To make this date idea more creative and intimate, consider sharing your favorite movies with each other. Each of you can make a short list of your favorite films, then swap back and forth between your favorites during your marathon. Watching movies that have a special significance to your partner can help you learn more about one another, which will make your movie marathon much more meaningful. 

8. Karaoke Night 

Let loose together by having a karaoke night in. You can set the scene by setting up a small stage area in your living room (complete with colorful lights, if you have them). Then, you can take turns singing your heart out along with karaoke videos on YouTube. You can also practice some new duets that you can bust out the next time you do karaoke at your favorite local spot. 

9. Game Night 

Looking for a lively, entertaining date night in? Have a game night! If you have board games at home, you can pull them out and play some of your favorites. You could also play video games together or explore the many smart phone games you can find on the app store. Card games are another great option for a game night in-- if you have a deck of cards, you have dozens of games to play. You can embrace your inner child and play classic card games like Go Fish or Old Maid, or place your bets and play a casino game, like Blackjack or Poker.