14 Stay-At-Home Date Ideas For Couples Stuck At Home Together

Just because you and your partner are hunkered down at home right now doesn't mean date night is off the table!

On the contrary, taking time to really connect with each other and just have fun is perhaps more important now than ever. Strengthening your relationship can help you both feel more grounded and secure in the face of uncertainty, and getting those feel-good hormones like oxytocin (from touch) and endorphins (from laughter) flowing can help quell stress and anxiety.

Here are a few stay-at-home date-night ideas couples can enjoy together. Just remember: Because we're all spending so much more time at home these days, it's important to really make your at-home dates feel distinct and special. So consider actually taking off those sweatpants, getting pretty, turning on some music, and breaking open that nice bottle of wine (or afternoon mimosas) to really set the mood.

No better time to do a little home renovation than when you're quarantined at home, right? Rearrange all your furniture in the room, put up that gallery wall you've been meaning to hang, and maybe order some new décor pieces together. Especially at a time like this, when we're feeling a little cooped up, transforming your spaces can bring fresh new energy into your home and make it more pleasurable to spend time there.

Movie nights are a classic for at-home dates, but one way to give it a particularly fun and connective spin is to pick out movies that mean something to each of you. For example, take turns watching each person's favorite movie from when they were ages 5, 15, 25, and currently. It's a great way to learn more about each other and can spark some interesting conversation and rediscovered memories to share.

This is surprisingly intimate. Journaling isn't just a solo practice—there's something really profound and cathartic about being able to sit with someone and write quietly together and then come back together to share your thoughts. This activity can often lead to surprisingly deep, warm heart-to-hearts, where each person shares very personal thoughts they perhaps haven't shared with anyone—even their partner of many years.

Here are some journaling prompts if you're new to this and some journal prompts for navigating COVID-19 specifically, if you want to go there. You can also just pick topics that one or both of you resonate with right now or struggle with—perfectionism, anxiety, gratitude, career aspirations, family relationships, fear of failure, loneliness, sexual fantasies, or insecurities. Or if you want to go for something a little more lighthearted and creative, consider starting bullet journals.

Planning for the future gives you something to look forward to, makes you feel more in control, and can make you feel closer as a couple because you're spending time thinking about a shared future together. Plan your next vacation that you want to take once this pandemic eases. Pick out a dreamy location and scout out hotels, Airbnbs, and activities you'll want to do there together.

You can also make other kinds of plans. For example, what if you spent an evening thinking through what you want to be doing one year from now, five years from now, and 10 years from now? Write down what you come up with so you can reflect on it later.

Go for the three-course meal or a recipe that you know takes forever.

Almond croissants or cinnamon buns from scratch? Why not! You can even make it into a bake-off, with each person making the same recipe separately to see who can make the most delicious version.

Host your own mini sip-and-sketch at home. Grab some drinks, notebooks, and whatever drawing or coloring utensils you have, and use each other as your muses. If you're feeling particularly frisky, you can up the excitement level by drawing each other naked, Titanic-style.

Speaking of being naked, set aside an evening to try something new, different, or creative in bed. Explore tantric sex together (yoni massages and lingam massages make excellent date nights, FYI!), or try role-playing or rope play.

New also doesn't have to mean kinky. Consider trying something different from your usual routine, such as a "first base date" or listening to audio erotica together. There are also some great apps dedicated to helping couples connect and get inspired sexually that you can download for other ideas. (Dipsea is one great option, featuring sexy audio stories, sexual meditations, and guided how-to's you can explore together.)

All you need is a printer, an empty notebook, and some scissors and tape. Have fun going through old photos together and stringing together a timeline of your relationship together.

Take turns giving each other luxurious, full-body massages using all the lotions and oils you've got in the house. Take your time, go slow, and really get into it.

You've probably seen the famous 36 questions that make you fall in love being passed around the internet before. They're based on the research of psychologist Arthur Aron, Ph.D., and popularized by a viral essay in the New York Times; these questions are intended to accelerate the process of creating intimacy between two strangers—but they're also really fascinating questions to ask a person you're already with.

Spend a night taking turns asking each other each question, and end the session with four minutes of eye-gazing. (Don't skip that part—it's where the love magic supposedly happens!)

Get dressed up and take some photos of each other. You can have fun just taking cute, attractive photos for the 'gram, or you can get really creative with it and try to create some really intriguing or entertaining shots using everyday objects you've got at home. Consult Pinterest to get some inspiration for fun, creative photoshoot ideas.

Turn it into a double date by video calling in with another couple (or more!) and play some games that can be done virtually. Classics like Pictionary, Werewolf, "Never Have I Ever," and "Would You Rather?" never get old, or adapt your favorite drinking game.

Have fun!