Date Night In: 10 Ideas That Aren't Just "Netflix and Chill"

Look, there's nothing wrong with Netflix. But if your idea of quality time has devolved into silently scrolling through options for 45 minutes before giving up and looking at your phones, it might be time for a refresh.

Date nights at home can be just as intentional and connecting as going out—they just require a bit more creativity. Here are ten ideas that go beyond the couch default.

1. Cook something ambitious together

Not your weeknight pasta—something you've never tried before. Pick a recipe that's slightly intimidating. Make a mess. Learn something new. The collaboration is the point, and you get dinner at the end.

2. Build a blanket fort

Yes, really. Grab every pillow and blanket you own, construct an elaborate fort in the living room, and spend the evening inside it. String lights optional but encouraged. This is about being silly together—something adults don't do enough.

3. Have a tasting night

Wine. Cheese. Chocolate. Whisky. Coffee. Pick a category, get 4–5 varieties, and do a proper tasting. Look up tasting notes. Compare opinions. Pretend you know what "notes of elderflower" means.

4. Game night (with stakes)

Not just games—games with consequences. Loser makes breakfast tomorrow. Loser gives a massage. Loser has to do a dare of the winner's choosing. A little competition adds spice.

5. Create something

Paint, even if you're bad at it. Try a craft kit. Build something from IKEA that you've been avoiding. The activity matters less than the making—you end up with a story and maybe a terrible painting you can hang ironically.

6. Have a "remember when" night

Dig out old photos—from when you first met, early dates, trips you've taken. Tell the stories. Remind yourselves of the journey you've been on. Nostalgia is underrated as a connector.

7. Learn something together

Pick a skill neither of you has: a language, an instrument, a card game, a dance. Watch tutorials. Practice. Be bad at it together. Learning side by side is bonding in a way that passive entertainment isn't.

8. Question cards

There are plenty of conversation card decks designed for couples—questions you'd never think to ask, prompts that go deeper than usual. Or make your own: write questions for each other and take turns drawing.

9. Recreate a restaurant experience

Set the table properly. Dress up. Put on background music. Make (or order) something elevated. Turn off your phones. Treat it like a real date—the formality actually helps shift the vibe.

10. Do absolutely nothing—on purpose

Sometimes the best date is deliberate, unstructured time together. No plans, no screens, nowhere to be. Just presence. Light candles. Talk or don't. Be bored together. It sounds simple, but it's rare.

The common thread

What makes a date night work isn't the activity—it's the intention. You're carving out time specifically to be together, fully present, doing something that isn't chores or logistics or scrolling.

It doesn't have to be expensive or elaborate. It just has to be deliberate.

So: what are you doing next Friday night?