14 Stay At Home Date Ideas You’ll Want to Try

My boyfriend David and I LOVE to go out on dates. Seriously, we live for margaritas at our favorite local taco shop, trips to the museum or zoo, and Saturday morning brunches. You can probably imagine my concern when I found out we couldn’t go out again for a couple of months due to COVID-19. Luckily for me, David and I were quick to come up with some fun date ideas we could do at home. So, whether you’re social distancing or just trying to save a buck, here are some at-home date ideas my boy and I have loved (and we hope you do too!)

Game Night

Board games are so underrated. Before quarantine, David and I hadn’t even played a single board game or card game together. Now, games are life. Here are our current favorite options for 2+ players!

• Exploding Kittens (seriously our favorite! If you’ve never played, I highly recommend purchasing. We get really competitive and laugh so hard.) – https://www.amazon.com/Exploding-Kittens-LLC-EKG-ORG1-1-Card/dp/B010TQY7A8/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=exploding+kittens&qid=1585600569&sr=8-2
• Mancala – https://www.amazon.com/Mancala-Real-Wood-Folding-Set/dp/B001FA22DC/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1NRR8R6UTZL89&keywords=mancala&qid=1585600650&sprefix=mancala%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-5
• Guess Who Clue Edition (Regular Guess Who and regular Clue work just the same!) – https://www.target.com/p/game-mashups-guess-who-clue-game/-/A-76431683
• Battleship – (we can play this silly classic for hours at a time!) https://www.target.com/p/battleship-game-retro-series-1967-edition/-/A-50696068
• Monopoly – https://www.target.com/p/monopoly-board-game/-/A-52117861
• 3 Up 3 Down Card Game – https://www.amazon.com/Ok2Win-3UP-3DOWN-Card-Game/dp/B01CPQD4YK/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=3+up+3+down+card+game&qid=1586802819&s=toys-and-games&sr=1-1
• Order an Escape Room in a Box or Crime Scene in a box online or from your local Escape Room! (We borrowed ours from a friend!)

Paint and Sip

We aren’t usually an “artsy” couple but we LOVED following along to this couples paint tutorial on YouTube with a glass of wine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-dpSk0-HCU 

Here are our results!

Try a New Recipe

I think the best thing David and I did for ourselves right before social distancing got strict was buy an air fryer from Target. We have had such a blast making new snacks in the air fryer. Not only has it been fun, but it’s been delicious.

Here’s the relatively affordable air fryer we went with: https://www.target.com/p/as-seen-on-tv-powerxl-vortex-air-fryer-3qt-black/-/A-76544201

Also, something just feels right about baking in quarantine. Make banana bread, cookies, and cakes as MUCH as possible.

Cozy Movie Night

Set up some pillows and blankets on the floor in your living room, turn down the lights, grab a glass of wine, and pop-in (or just search for on Netflix because this is 2020) a movie. Preparing in advance for a movie night by making a fort or lighting a lot of candles makes it seem like more of an occasion than an everyday movie night.

Like a lot of ladies out there, I am a big fan of Rom-Coms. David? Not so much. However, it hasn’t been impossible to find a few romantic movies he’ll dig too. Here are a few “romance” movies your boyfriend won’t hate:

• 50 First Dates
• Slumdog Millionaire (Not a rom-com! More like a rom-crime)
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Crazy Stupid Love
• Silver Linings Playbook
• Forgetting Sarah Marshall
• A Star is Born
• Disney’s Live Action Aladdin (Okay I’m reaching here but David loved this movie)

Fondue for Two

David and I had originally planned on celebrating our anniversary at the Melting Pot in Denver. Unfortunately, the Corona Virus rained on our parade… but we picked up fondue at-home kits from them instead! David got me flowers and lit some candles and it was just as romantic (if not more romantic!) than our original plan.

Have a Picnic in your Backyard

If you’re reading this in Spring of 2020 you might not be able to go for a picnic in the park, but who’s to say you can’t have a picnic in your backyard? Get that blanket and basket, pack some sandwiches (or pick up Chick-fil-a…), and get outside!

Go for a Walk

I’m pretty sure I would have gone crazy by now if I couldn’t at least go outside for a walk during this time of social distancing. I think going on walks has become one of our favorite things to do together as the weather warms up. It’s where we have our best conversations and feel our best too.

Take a Personality Quiz and Compare Your Results.

• My personal favorite type of personality test – The Enneagram
  • $12 test https://tests.enneagraminstitute.com
  • Free tests https://www.eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/test or https://www.9types.com/rheti/index.php
  • After you have figured out your types, the Enneagram Institute has a free resource to see how you work in a relationship together: https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/the-enneagram-type-combinations
• Myers Briggs https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
• Love Languages https://www.5lovelanguages.com/quizzes/

Watch Church Service at Home Together.

This is a date. Don’t @ me.

Do a Puzzle!

Turn on some tunes and pull out a puzzle.

Get to Know Each Other Better by Asking Deep OR Silly Questions.

• So cheesy but I definitely bought us these conversation starter cards for couples. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078RDNFSC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 We haven’t read through them all yet because we can truly spend 15 minutes on one card.
• Would you rather questions https://conversationstartersworld.com/would-you-rather-questions/

Support Your Favorite Local Businesses Together.

Although we can’t go OUT to eat, we can still go out and pick up takeout from our favorite restaurants and coffee shops. This has been something I’ve looked forward to doing every weekend while in “quarantine.”

Take Turns Reading a Book to Each Other.

Just ordered David and I, Love Does by Bob Goff. It’s one of my faves and I wanted to read it again with him!

Just Spend Quality Time Together

All in all, I still miss going out to the movie theater and coffee shops. However, I’m really thankful for all of this quality time I’ve been able to spend with my boy and for this season of “slowing down.”

12 Unique and Affordable Christmas Gift Ideas

Hey friends! Christmas is right around the corner. I don’t know about y’all but I’m ballin’ on a budget. I have lots of people to buy for every year and I hate to break the bank! Multiple mom’s and dad’s and grandparents and hundreds of siblings. Y’all I can’t handle anymore kids. Selah is my last sibling! IDC if one pops out of thin air they gon’ have to find another sister.

ANYWAYS, If you’re still stumped on what to get your mom, dad, sister, brother, friend, grandma, aunt, cousin, cousin’s cousin, 3rd cousin twice removed, this one’s for you!

For the writer.

A custom journal – $15

I bought these for my mom and I a few Christmas’s ago and she absolutely loved hers. I made hers personal to her and put a lyric from her favorite song, “we will shout to the corners of the earth that Christ is King” and she uses it on all of our mission trips. (This picture is not mine or my mom’s it’s just from the website!)

https://www.etsy.com/listing/252622714/personalized-journal-custom-journal?ref=shop_home_active_13&crt=1

For the jewelry wearer.

A custom family necklace – $30 – $100 depending on the amount of stones

This is obviously a little one the pricey side especially if you’re one of 5 siblings like me (another reason we don’t need anymore kids). However, it’s for the mama. I got my mom this necklace a few years back. Really neat and special!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/211726183/handmade-mothers-necklace-family-tree?ref=shop_home_active_4&pro=1&frs=1

For the Disney obsessed.

Unique floral Mickey Mouse ears – $20ish

Perfect for the Disney lover. My bestie and I each got a pair of these recently to wear to the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot and we were obsessed! And most importantly, everyone told me how wonderful they were all night.

(This is the pair I got, so sorry they are no longer available 😉 )

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheMouseProject

For the movie watcher.

Crazy Rich Asians on DVD – $15

This was such a good movie! Perfect gift for a friend, mom, or sister. And it’s really quite appropriate so your great-grandma won’t have a stroke!

Buy here

For the cozy and adventurous gal. 

Elephant pants – $20

One year I bought me, my mom, and my sister elephant pants. They were such a hit we’re still wearing them around the house or on mission trips 4 years later! Plus, this company cares about the elephants so it’s a double bonus!

https://www.theelephantpants.com/pages/how-we-help

For the makeup lover.

Kylie Lipkit or just a single Liquid Lipstick – $29 for a kit and $17 for a single. Try and catch them while they’re on sale!

My cousin and I swear by Kylie lippies. They’re our go to gift for each other. The lip kit comes with a liquid lipstick AND liner. The singles are great too and personally, I usually don’t use the liners anyways! Kylie is famous for her Matte colors but I’ve been loving my velvet formulas lately too (especially in the dry Colorado winter.)  I recently bought a matte kit for my bestie’s bday and now she’s a hardcore believer!

https://www.kyliecosmetics.com/collections/lips

For the college kid.

Nutri Bullet – $50

This could really work for anyone. The Nutri Bullet saved my life this year when I moved into a dorm setting after living in the comfort of a real house for 22 years. This is the perfect gift to give to a college kid just getting settled into their apartment or trying to get into a healthier lifestyle (unless of course their using this to blend their pina coladas…)

Buy here. 

For the traveler.

Wall art print – $10 + some for a frame

This is thoughtful and sweet piece of art for any house or apartment! A couple Christmas’s ago I bought the one on the left for my dad (born and raised Puerto Rican) and the one on my right for my mom (a missionary in Honduras). Both a big hit!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TraciWithaniDesigns

For the photographer.

Instax Mini – $50

I bought this little guy for myself a couple of years back. I don’t use it as much as I used to but it’s still super fun to whip out on special occasions. Super fun, reasonably priced, and perfect for almost all ages!

 

Buy here.

For the kids.

Watch Ya Mouth – originally $20 but currently $10 on Targets website

This game is hilarious and perfect for the whole family. My siblings and I got a kick out of this game last Christmas!

Buy here. 

For the whole family.

The Greatest Showman on DVD – $15

This movie was a big hit this year. My two middle siblings love singing along to this soundtrack in the car so much I was shocked to find out they didn’t own the DVD. Went ahead and bought it for one of my sister’s Christmas gifts but let’s be honest, it’s for me too.

Buy here.

For the sentimental one.

DIY Polaroid Shadow Box – $ depends on the shadow box you find and whether or not you already have an Instax/Polaroid camera!

I did this or something similar to this for my grandparents a couple of years ago. This would work great for really anyone in the family, a friend, or the bae.

For the one who’s always on the go.

Fast food or coffee gift card- $10-$20 or s/t!

I’ve definitely gotten my college brother a Taco Bell gift card or my step-dad a Dunkin Gift card to use on his way to work. Doesn’t sound as thoughtful as some other gift ideas might but it gets the job done and they’ll be thanking ya when they’re hungry.

Some ideas:

• McDonalds
• Chipotle
• Chickfila
• Taco Bell (not for me plz)
• Starbucks
• Dunkin’ Donuts
• Subway (Kind of strange but 1) I’m ghetto, 2) I grew up with a gas station subway right by my house, and 3) my step dad and brother are hard workin’ laboring men who like them some subs)
• Panera
• Panda
• Buffao Wild Wings (not a drive-thru but they do have carry out and wings be bumpin’ in college)