Staying in for Valentine’s Day? 8 Ideas for a Romantic Date Night.

It’s Valentine’s Day and you don’t have a babysitter. Or you just don’t feel like battling the crowds at the movie theatre or your favorite restaurant. Maybe it’s been a stressful week and you just want to stay in for the night.

Whatever the reason, a Valentine’s Day evening at home can be just as exciting and memorable as a night out. Once the kids are in bed, it’s time to turn up the romance.

Here are 8 stay-at-home date night ideas for parents on Valentine’s Day.

1. Prepare your favorite meal together

Maybe it’s recreating your first date dinner or your go-to comfort food. Once the meal is prepared, actually sit down at your dinner table and have a conversation while you dine. Get dressed up, light some candles, and turn on some romantic music to really set the mood.

For dessert, try fondue. Chocolate fondue is great with strawberries, bananas, pretzels, angel food cake, and so much more.

2. Picnic indoors

Is casual dining more your thing? Why not have a picnic dinner on your living room floor? Then roast marshmallows in the fireplace.

3. Or order in

If you want to keep it simple, get delivery from your favorite restaurant. You could have a few different places deliver to make it feel like a smorgasbord.

4. Play games

When was the last time you and your partner waged war in Risk? Or built a real estate empires in Monopoly? Or battled over triple word scores in Scrabble?

If board games are not your speed, then make it a video game marathon.

5. Netflix and chill

After a long day and a nice dinner, there may be nothing more you want than to relax and watch a romantic movie or your favorite television show. Make it extra sentimental by re-watching the first movie you saw together. Or chill in matching, new pajamas just for the occasion.

6. Dance the night away

Create some space in your living room for a dance floor. Break out your wedding song or music from prom night. Don’t know how to dance? Watch dance tutorials on YouTube and you’ll be doing the cha-cha or foxtrot before you know it.

7. Stroll down memory lane

A bottle of wine and your wedding album may be all you need for a romantic Valentine’s Day date night. Take a further step back in time and break out your high school yearbooks and baby photo albums.

8. Make it a spa night

Create a night of pampering for you and your partner. Bubble baths, foot massages, facial masks. We can go on and on, but you get the point. Whatever you need to unwind. Dim the lights, turn on relaxing music, light some candles and feel the stress escape your bodies. Learn a few massage tricks ahead of time to surprise your loved one.