When my kids were smaller, I really found myself busy all the time. Taking care of the baby, cleaning the house, running errands, etc. I really tried to spend quality time with each child individually, but that didn’t happen very often. I was always with them but not really WITH them. You know what I mean. I’m there, at home, but not really spending quality time with them. When my husband got home from work, I was DONE. Done and done. Ready for a break. This is when we decided that the kids really needed some one on one time with us. So we decided to do a date night once a month with the kids and take turns each month so they could get time with mom AND dad.
So how do you decide which days to do date night on and how do you have time?
We take the kids out on the day of their birthday each month. If their birthday falls on a day we can’t take them out, like Sunday, we just schedule it for the day before or after. So my son’s date night is on the 16th every month, my daughters is on the 22nd every month and so on.
In order to make time, we schedule them on our family calendar. We make them our priority for the day. Nothing get’s in the way of our date night.
I’ve compiled some of our favorite activities we do on our date nights to give you some ideas. Some cost money, others don’t. Don’t feel like you have to spend a lot of money to spend time with your child. Remember the reason for the date, to spend TIME with each other and getting to know each other better.
1. Go for a walk to a gas station and buy a treat. This is literally one of my kids favorite things to do. We get exercise walking there and we get to talk to each other on the way. Then they love picking what ever treat they want. So fun!
2. Go for a bike ride. Same idea as number one, minus the treat. Be sure to wear a helmet.
3. Go to a movie. Movies are a family favorite. It’s fun to talk to them on the car ride to and from the movie theater too.
4. Go to a park and play with each other.
5. Shoot some hoops, kick a soccer ball around, or play bad mitton. Just get out and play with them. Or take them to a sporting event that they are interested in. In this picture my daughter and I were waiting for the local Soccer (REAL Salt Lake) game to start. She is a star defender on her soccer team. 🙂
6. Go out to breakfast.
7. Go out to dinner. It would be fun to go to a fancy place, dressed up, and teach your child about proper manners.
8. Go to a pet store. My kids LOVE looking at the puppies.
9. Go see a play.
10. Go to a museum.
11. Have a photo shoot. Dress up silly and head outside to a cool place and snap away.
12. Go to a thrift store and have a scavenger hunt.
13. Go get ice cream.
14. Go to the library. Have your child bring you all the books they want you to read to them and read them right there at the library.
15. Go to a craft or ceramics store and create something fun. Sometimes they have classes you can take.
If you live around Utah County, you can visit Creativity Art Studio. We had a blast there last month making tiles. They have so many ideas all around you so you will be filled with creativity. They even have templates you can use to paint ceramics like their examples. So much fun!
16. Take a hike. My kids always find awesome treasures when we go on hikes, especially in the fall. Look at these gorgeous leaves my son found on our hike.
17. Do a service project for a neighbor.
18. Take your child to a clothing store and try on clothes or to a sporting goods store to see all the new stuff.
19. Find a historical site close by and explore it.
20. Go on a picnic.
There are so many more ideas you could do on a date night with your child. These are just a few of my kids favorites that have been successful. Just get out one on one and get to know each other better. Build that special bond that only a mom or dad can have with their child. These are also fun with teenagers. Sometimes a relationship between a teenager and their parents is strained. Taking your teen on a date will help you both learn to like spending time with each other.
What are your favorite date night ideas to do with your kids?
~Annette
I love all these ideas! I try to take my boys out individually at least once a month. I’m going to have to add some of these to our routine! Pinning 🙂
Begin by marking your child’s birth date on every month in your calendar. Ask your child what activity they would like to do with you. Older kids will likely have no trouble deciding (“I want to see a new movie” or “I want to shop for new clothes”…). But it is probably helpful to offer a few suggestions and ideas to your younger children. This is one habit that will be rewarding to both you and your child!