37 Actually Fun Date Night Ideas for Parents of Young Children


Finding time for date nights when you have small children can be tricky, if not impossible. However, if you can find a trusted babysitter to have the kids for a couple of hours, you will be able to get out and have some important couple time remembering why you were in this relationship in the first place. If you can’t find a babysitter, don’t worry, I’ve still got you covered with a list of date ideas to have at home when the kids are in bed.

Daytime Dates:

If you don’t want to disrupt bedtime for your little ones, these dates are perfect.

1 Matinee Cinema Trip – Find a film you like on during the day and enjoy some together time with your partner.

2. Mini golf – Otherwise known as Adventure Golf can be lots of fun for some couples.

3. Bowling – Book a few games and some food and you’ve got yourself a daytime date.

4. Escape Room – Do you think you have it in you to work as a team and solve the puzzle within the hour?

5. Museum or gallery – If strolling through museums is your thing and you’re missing it after having kids as your last visit to a museum involved doing some colouring, then a day-date at a museum may be for you.

6. Be a tourist in your own town – Go and see why other people visit where you live. You may discover some new places to go as a family or on future dates.

7. Go for a scenic drive – Take the car and go exploring.

8. Take a cooking class together – Take a look online and you’ll find local classes teaching Chinese, Italian and other cuisines.

9. Go to a theatre matinee – There may be other kids there but you are child-free for the purpose of this date.

10. Indoor Climbing – Go back to the kinds of dates you may have enjoyed when you were child-free and dating.

11. Botanical Gardens or Nature Reserve – explore these places without the need to go and find the playground or the nearest baby changing facility.

12. Go-karting – enjoy the buzz as you do the laps to try to beat your partner.

13. Board Game Cafe – If you enjoy board games, this is the place to come. With shelves of games to play with, order some food and drink and play to your hearts’ content.

14. Local brewery or pub tour – Do something you couldn’t possibly do with children in tow.

At Home Date Ideas:

Can’t find a babysitter, don’t want to find a babysitter or the kids won’t let you go out? These at home date ideas are for you:

15. DIY Wine and cheese night – If you enjoy cheese and wine, buy a selection from the supermarket and enjoy a relaxing evening discussing the merits of each.

16. Takeaway and a film – Pick something you couldn’t watch with the kids around and food they’d never eat and enjoy yourselves in the comfort of your own home.

17. Board game night – Dust off the games from when you used to play and enjoy the challenge and fun.

18. Two player computer games – play a video game together.

19. Stargazing at home – Research what’s in the night sky, wrap up warm and take some flasks with warm drinks out and just enjoy each other’s company.

20. Garden firepit evening – Get a fire going and enjoy the peace.

21. Pizza night in the garden – If you’ve got an outdoor pizza oven, this one’s for you. Home-made pizza with toppings of your choice with your favourite drink. Divine.

22. Cook a new recipe together. – Find a recipe you both like the idea of and make it together for some kitchen bonding time.

23. Takeaway at the beach/park/river – Hop in the car and drive to your local beauty spot for a takeaway either in the car or at a picnic bench. (Oops, put this one in the wrong section, but it’ll mess my numbering up if I move it!)

24. Jigsaw night – Can you complete the jigsaw in an evening? That is the challenge.

25. Solve an at-home escape room game together -These are fun and you can wrap them up afterwards and sell them on to fund your next date night.

26. Home spa night – Pick some treatments you’d like, play some relaxing music, dim the lights and give each other massages.

Seasonal Ideas:

These dates rely on the weather being good or it being a certain time of year. Why not start a tradition that you go on some of these dates every year?

27. Strawberry/fruit picking – Enjoy some fresh air with your partner as you pick some fruit together.

28. Ice skating – Whizz around the rink and give yourselves an excuse to hold hands.

29. Fireworks display – leave the kids at home with the babysitter and go and enjoy a child-free evening with food, drink and company.

30. Christmas market trip – Soak up the atmosphere and get into the Christmas mood with an afternoon or evening at the market.

31. Sunset picnic – Pick a warm evening in mid-summer to find a beautiful spot to have a homemade picnic.

32. Outdoor film screening – There are put on in summer here, bring your own chairs and snacks and soak up the atmosphere of a well-known film with other film lovers.

Quick Dates

If you’ve just got a short while for a date, why not try one of these ideas to make the most of your precious time together just the two of you:

33. Coffee date – Go for a chat in your local coffee shop.

34. Walk in the park – Take a hot drink in a flask and go for a wander.

35. Try a new cafe together – Try somewhere new to make new experiences together.

36. Browse a bookshop together – If books are your thing, go and find some bargains or must-reads together.

37. Charity Shop Tour – If both of you are into charity shop bargains, take half an hour to go into as many as you can to find some gems together.

If saving money is your thing, check out this post: How Can I Save Money As a New Mum? – Fun Family Home

Whatever you decide to do, make the most of it and enjoy yourself.

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