10 Ideas For In-home Winter Date Nights

Amanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, EMDR Certified 

Date nights are opportunities for partners to affirm, strengthen, and renew their connection to one another. Some partners will schedule date nights weekly or monthly. In the winter, however, date nights can be difficult due to inclement weather. But since date nights are fun and beneficial, it’s a shame to skip them due to the season. When the weather turns harsh, consider these ten creative ideas for date nights indoors. 

Too Cold for a Date Night? Here Are 10 Ideas for In-home Winter Date Nights

• Play a Cooperative Video Game

Video games can be a fun and engaging way to interact in the winter. Instead of one person playing and the other watching, it’s best to find a cooperative video game: one that you can play together at the same time. These games usually require both players to utilize communication and teamwork,  which can help to build a relationship. Local cooperative games require two or more people to be in the same room, while online cooperative games can be played with players in different settings. Here’s a list of some of the best cooperative video games you can play in 2021: https://www.gamesradar.com/best-co-op-games/

• Watch Movies from your childhoods

Choose a few movies that you each loved as a child or teen and watch them together. It’s best to choose a movie that your partner has never seen. Don’t feel pressured to choose a decent film, as it can also be engaging to watch a film that isn’t very good. Feel free to discuss these moves with each other and share why you were drawn to them as a child. 

• Take an online dance class

Dancing is a good way to connect with each other. Work together to decide on a type of dance that you would like to learn together. Commit to taking only one class, knowing that you can continue as you’d like. There are many dance studios that offer a variety of dance classes, both live and pre-recorded. Also, you may want to search for a free class online. 

• Read to each other

When is the last time someone read to you? You and your partner can choose your favorite adult or children’s books, poems, lyrics, or any other literature that you’d like to share. If you are a writer, consider writing something to read to your partner. 

• Listen to each other’s music 

Share your favorite music with your partner, and listen to theirs. It’s possible to get to know someone through music. Consider sharing music that is important to you, that expresses who you are, or that represents your culture or personal history. 

• Complete an art/craft project 

Engage in an artistic project together. This should be something that you both agree on. Perhaps it’s a medium that you both enjoy, or maybe there is a project that you’d both like to try. Here are a few suggestions: painting, woodworking, clay, quilting, knitting, card making, drawing, framing, and building miniatures.

• Play a Relational Board/Card Game 

There are many games which are designed specifically for couples. These are usually board or card games that address aspects of your relationship. If you are having any struggles in your relationship, you should choose a game that helps you and your partner practice the specific skills you need to improve. Grab some snacks, choose a comfortable setting, and sit down for a game night.

• Cook a Complex Dinner

Cooking together is a great way to practice your teamwork and communication skills. Try choosing a menu that requires effort and collaboration. If necessary, consider adapting the menu to your own needs and the needs of your partner. Then, enjoy the meal together! 

• Plan a Trip

Use a date night as an opportunity to plan a trip that you’ve always wanted to take together. Plan the logistics and the fun activities. This is a great way to practice compromising and planning with your partner. 

• View old photographs 

Gather photographs from your past and share them with your partner, and encourage them to do the same. You can share photos from early on in your relationship and from your childhood. 

If you need help connecting with your partner, consider participating in Couples Therapy at Symmetry Counseling.