Date Night Ideas for Parents Next Time You Have a Babysitter

It can be hard to make time for yourself when you’re a parent running a busy household. Logically, it follows that it’s doubly hard for two people to time for themselves—and each other—when both of them are parents running a busy household. If you find yourself in this situation, you’re probably juggling the stress of trying to find a free evening to spend with your partner and the stress of figuring out the right thing to do with that time once you’ve found it.

Not to worry. We can help with exactly one of those things. That’s right. Cornhole Stop is here to play the role of relationship and parenting experts with our collection of date night ideas for the next time you have a babysitter!

Babysitter at Your Place

If the babysitter is watching the kids at your house, you can go anywhere you want to go! You are an adult after all. Sure, you could go out to dinner and a movie, but that’s sort of a rookie move. You want something fun, unique, and interesting that will make your date night one to remember—at least until the next date night when you outdo yourself again.

Set Up a Scavenger Hunt

Remember back in the 90s when every TV show had the trope of one character setting up a romantic scavenger hunt for their partner that retraced the major milestones of their relationship and ended with a candlelit dinner, picnic in the park, or another grand finale that proved they were in it forever? We like that trope and think it would make a good date night. Try it out, and let us know how it goes!

Mini Golf, Bowling, and Batting Cages

Going to a mini golf course was a fun date in middle and high school, so why not try it out again as adults? If it wasn’t mini golf for you, it was probably a bowling alley, batting cages, or maybe laser tag. Whatever “the thing” to do was for a fun date when you were a teenager, try that again as an adult and see where the evening takes you.

Mini Camping Trip

Going camping might not be possible for a date night—that’s more of a date weekend—but you can still cover all the basics! Many parks have public barbecue grills or fire pits where you can make s’mores, and those same parks often have gorgeous hiking trails, abundant foliage, and local animals. If you prefer a low-effort kind of camping experience, just do the s’mores part, and maybe set up a hammock for some lazy evening relaxation.

Go Stargazing

There’s not much point in living where you can see the stars at night if you don’t take advantage of that fact at least occasionally. Get some snacks or takeout. Then, drive out somewhere with a good view of the skyline and lots of open space.

Having a pickup truck for this is ideal because you can fill the back up with blankets, pillows, and even inflatable furniture. No pickup? No problem! Stars look just as good when you’re looking up at them from the hood or one top of your car.

Kids at the Babysitter’s Place

If the kids are spending the evening somewhere else—a friend’s house, with the grandparents, at the babysitter’s place—then you can have the run of the whole house! Rather than limiting your possibilities, this gives you even more options. You’ll be shocked at how different the house feels when you’re in it with just your partner and no kids.

Make a Pillow Fort

For when you can’t imagine anything better than cuddling on the couch while streaming a movie or reading together, start with a pillow fort. Make it as cozy as you dare; set up your snack table within reach, and settle in for a long, lazy evening with one of your favorite people in the world.

Now You’re Cooking

If you’d like to take your food challenge game show obsession to the next level, try recreating your favorite episode by making something with your partner! Before date night, decide on a recipe together; get all the ingredients together, and make a plan.

Remember, cooking is like building Ikea furniture: you will know exactly where your relationship stands after doing it together. After the food is prepared, you’ll have the satisfaction of having made a meal for each other, together.

Look at Pictures Together

When you want a stealthy relationship tune-up, there’s no better choice than looking at pictures with your partner. Remembering all the good times you’ve had together—the early days, getting your first place, road trips, having the kids, getting married—will help reinforce the bonds you’ve already built and put you in a mood that’s more receptive to deepening those bonds over time.

Before date night, ask your partner to find five to ten pictures that represent important life milestones, and you do the same. You can limit this to relationship milestones or include personal milestones as well—you might be surprised by what you discover about each other.

Double Date

Remember back when having the house to yourself meant you were definitely going to invite friends over? Recreate that feeling by coordinating your date night with another couple so that you can have a double date. If you plan it right, the kids will be at one house with a babysitter while the parents will have one empty house for any of these fun date night ideas!

Win at Date Night, Every Time

For the ultimate way to win at date night, you’ll want to win at Cornhole. And to win at Cornhole, you’ll want a winning cornhole set—like a new cornhole set that has one-of-a-kind graphics designed by you! Simply fill out our design request form, and our digital artists will get to work on your new cornhole board. There’s a guaranteed winner in every game! #weddinggift