Date Night Ideas For Parents

Do parents really need a date night to keep the relationship alive? Coordinating child care, figuring out schedules, and making reservations can leave you drained before your date has even started. Lounging on the couch starts to sound like a better plan than dinner and a movie.

These low-key date night ideas for parents are perfect for those who need to reconnect, or for those who simply cherish a night out once in a while.

Why Have Date Night?

According to The National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia (as reported by foryourmarriage.org):

Date nights may strengthen a couple’s sense of commitment to one another. The report says, “Partners who put one another first, who steer clear of other romantic opportunities and who cultivate a strong sense of ‘we-ness’ or togetherness are markedly happier than are less committed couples.”

Matt Garrett of Relationships Australia (huffingtonpost.com.au) says:

“Let’s get practical. Our lives are so busy and full, if we don’t make this time, feelings of being taken for granted can easily come up. And that is the death knell for any relationship — feeling that you are being taken for granted.”

How To Make Date Night Easy And Accessible

These simple date night ideas for parents help to take the guesswork out of planning by simplifying the whole process. Planning a date should be fun, not stressful, and there are several free apps that can make the most out of every dating venture.

Get a Couples Massage
Do something you enjoyed when you first met, such as seeing a play or going bowling.
Do role reversal and send your child and a sitter to dinner and a movie while you relax at home with your spouse.
Book a cheap hotel room for a few hours, pack a picnic basket with champagne, fruit, cheese, and some fancy chocolate. Have fun!
Be original and try something fun and exciting that you’ve never done before. You can go as extreme as skydiving (and really get the adrenaline pumping), or keep it as simple as a painting class.
Use some extra sick days and go for a date while your kids are in school – the daytime date!
Go for a walk together and enjoy each other’s company, as well as nature.

Apps To Help Plan

OpenTable is an essential app when planning date night ideas for parents because it allows users to book a reservation at many restaurants in North America.
- The app also provides reviews and information about general aesthetics and appropriate attire. Users with Apple Pay can go cashless and pay with an iPhone device instead.
- Spend less time planning and more time enjoying by simply opening the app and booking a reservation in minutes.
Poynt is a great app to help maximize a night on the town and will make suggestions based on location.
- For example, if you want to grab drinks after dinner, Poynt will use location services to determine the closest hot spot for post-dinner fun.
- My husband and I have often found ourselves aimlessly driving around wondering what to do. Poynt takes the guesswork out of finding fun things to do by giving us great recommendations.
Date Night by Care.com is an excellent resource for hardworking parents who need a peaceful evening away from home. This recently launched app allows users to locate sitters in their area and then links to OpenTable and Fandango to assist in planning the perfect dinner and movie date.

Apps To Go The Extra Mile

Keep your relationship young and alive by making simple gestures to let your significant other know you care. These apps make it easy to do things like grab flowers or plan the perfect date-night meal at home.

The Bouqs app allows users to buy flowers and have them delivered the same day, with on-demand delivery from artisan florists. This app also features a concierge service so consumers will never forget an anniversary or special occasion, as the app can automatically send flowers on selected special occasions.
Vivino is a user-friendly app that can change how you select a bottle of wine or plan for a perfect meal. Just snap a photo of any wine label to reveal pricing, ratings, reviews and various food pairings.

Do you have any other date night ideas for parents to make it fun and simple? Let us know!