Fancy gowns + expensive movie theater popcorn? Yeah… thats typically not how our date night goes either.. lol! if your date nights with your children doesn’t look like the image above, that is okay because I am sharing some affordable date ideas with you all today! It is no secret that I have weekly date night with Ryland and Rori. I think date night is SO important especially during the most hectic times of our lives because in the midst of all the chaos we can count on that one night to turn off social media, ignore the emails and text messages coming in and just be PRESENT. We typically have date nights on Friday nights – we all survived the work week and school day hustles (getting ready in the morning, packing lunch, school pick up, soccer, ballet, and homework).
Here are some affordable date night ideas (trust me, your children will enjoy it and most importantly you will be creating memories)
At home movies
Grab the popcorn, all the boxed candies you can find, some ice cream, a cozy blanket and snuggle! If you need some movie networks then check out Netflix, Hulu, Record a movie in advance from you cable service, and also Redbox which costs about $2 per day to rent a movie (you can typically find Redbox in your local grocery store).
Indoor camping
Grab a few bedsheet covers and make a fort in the living room. Lay a few blankets underneath the fort and everyone sleeps in the living room – my kids LOVE this because everyone usually sleeps in their own room alone. Bring the hot cocoa with marshmallows and tell “not so spooky stories” lol!
Bake together
Dinner is cooked and served, now we are all craving DESSERT! Go through the pantry and see what you can whip up with the ingredients that you have on hand. The kiddos will love inventing a new snack – especially if it turns out delicious! I don’t stress out about any mess and really just enjoy watching Ryland and Rori get creative in the kitchen while spending quality time together.
Play dress up
Nowhere to go? No problem! We love playing dress up (Rori more than anyone, lol). Get dressed up, cook the kiddos favorite food (spaghetti with garlic bread), turn some music on, light the best smelling candle, and dance the night away!
Game night
Game night can include any board games you may have at home. What I like to do is go to Target and in the $1 section there are affordable puzzles, playing cards. Bring on the chips, salsa, and juice boxes!
Indoor picnic
Just because the weather is getting cooler doesn’t mean that the picnics have to stop! Surprise the kids when you pick them up with a basket full of their favorite snacks and mini sandwiches. Pick some flowers together when you get home, lay a blanket down and open some windows for a cool fresh breeze.
Paint and Sip
I attended a paint and sip adult party for a girlfriends birthday and I knew that my kiddos would LOVE this. Grab some art paper, paint and brushes and lay it out on your dinner table so the kids can go CRAZY! (you can protect the table with garbage bags, too). For the sip portion – pour some juice with fresh cut berries to make the night and drink feel extra special.
Overall, my ultimate goal is to for these weekly date nights is to be present, make memories, and make the time spent quality time.
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