Date Night Ideas for New Parents
Being a new parent comes with a lot of responsibility and less amount of time to enjoy the things you used to be able to do. Especially as a couple. Incorporating a date night into your lives will open up new doors for a healthy connection in your new-found parenthood. It’s a chance to have fun, laugh and let go of some responsibility for a moment (so long as you have someone to care for your child during date night time), and focus on you and your partner.
Read on to discover why you should have a date night and inspirational date night ideas, both during lockdown restrictions and after.
Why you should have a ‘Date Night’
A date night between new parents allows you to give time to both yourselves and each other. It’s more than a date, it’s dedicating time for you both to admire your feelings for each other and increase communication as new parents. You know, like how you would’ve dated perhaps before your little one came along?
It’s completely natural for new parents to feel frustrated, exhausted, irritable, and a little overwhelmed when learning the ropes of parenthood, which is why setting a date on the family calendar for an official ‘date night’ is a popular tactic used by new parents. Date nights can allow parents to increase connection with each other, experience deserved time away from new parenthood life, and create memorable moments as a pair.
If you’re a new parent who is considering planning a date night, check out these ideas for inspiration and tips on how to get the most out of your date night.
Ideas for Date Night
-
A candlelit dinner for two
It doesn’t have to mean that you and your significant other has to spend all night in the kitchen unless you enjoy cooking together; a takeaway dinner or frozen speciality meal from your local will do the trick. See what’s around you and what’s available - is there anywhere that neither of you have tried before?
-
Create something together
Arts and craft can be a fun way to bring out your inner creative. You can show your romantic side by grabbing some paint and canvases and create a portrait of one another (to the best of your ability.) Or you could paint a place you’d like to visit together or where you first fell in love, the list continues. If you have a competitive streak in you, you could incorporate a competition of who can draw the best scene or object. The prize could be up for grabs each date night.
-
Wander outdoors
Setting off for a walk together can increase levels of intimacy. If you’re up for going further afield, you could spend a bit of time researching local walks to take and places you could stop off at on the way there e.g. coffee shops. The fresh air is guaranteed to increase endorphins and have you feeling closer to one another while you get some distance from new parenthood by being outdoors. You could ramp it up a level and plot a route through a local mountain range or woodland trail. See what’s out there and if anything grabs your attention. Trips to the seaside and lakes also work!
-
Have a Picnic
You can have a picnic indoors or outdoors, depending on your personal choice or weather. Lay a blanket on the floor, bring a few pillows, some finger foods and you’re ready to go. You could listen to the radio, cloud-watch or star-gaze. Do you know any constellations?
-
Watch a Livestream
Is there a musician, artist or comedian performing an online concert or show that both you and your partner could enjoy together? A sports match? This type of activity is relative to current lockdown-life, so it’s what you make it. If it’s something worth getting excited over - allow yourselves the chance to get excited about spending the time together!
-
Visit The Spa
If restrictions have you unable to leave your postcode, don’t let this break up the romance and fun of your date night. Why not try a spa night from the comfort of your own living room? You could create your own face masks or buy from a local shop, perform couples massages on each other or try a hot yoga class online.
-
Read to each other
It might sound silly, but reading to each other before bed can increase feelings of intimacy and encourage a connection between you and your partner. Try listening to each other, taking turns to read from the same book.
-
Run errands together
Trips to collect the groceries might be the height of romantic nights out for a while so why not try to make them as romantic and as ‘all about you’ as you can? Do you have a playlist full of songs you both like to sing? You can play this on the way to the shops and maybe even have a quick dance in the shopping aisle if you’re brave enough!
-
Play games
Games are a great way to have some fun and create special moments with each other. Pick some game boards and see where the night takes you! It could be Dominoes, Monopoly, Cards Against Humanity, Pictionary, Cluedo, or more adult games e.g. couples dice games. You could ask friends and family if they have any board games you could borrow to save buying new ones or try a charity shop.
When restrictions aren’t as tight and venues begin to reopen, ideas for date night could include a trip to the cinema, playing mini-golf, going to a restaurant, hosting a game night with friends, escape rooms and outdoor events such as concerts and sports matches. You’ll be surprised what you can come up with until then!
How to get the most out of your date night
-
Be present and involved.
It’s important to acknowledge that both parents want time to cherish each other and feel the love. Date night provides this opportunity.
-
Remember it’s all about you.
Bounty suggests limiting ‘baby-talk’ between partners on date night to keep the focus on one another. If you’re having a date night at home where your baby may be and it begins to stir, of course, see to them, but remember to put your focus back into your date night when you can. The night is for you and your partner. You could arrange someone to look after your child for your date night if it’s scheduled in advance.
-
Let it happen on the regular.
It might be your first date night, but it doesn’t mean it should be your last. Incorporating time for yourselves to spend together is important for new parents. It doesn’t have to be a night; it could be a ‘date afternoon’ or ‘date morning’ - as long as you try to let it happen on the regular, it will help you feel closer to each other and give you something to think about other than your newborn.
- Plan ahead and get excited.
Pencil it into both of your diaries and use the above ideas for some date night inspiration. You can leave notes on the bathroom mirror or drop hints by text to increase the excitement for the night!
Whatever you decide for your date night, remember it’s about taking time out to cherish each other, together, as wonderful new parents. So set the scene and enjoy!
Related blogs: