Date Nights: How do you make them happen and what are your favorite ideas?

From simple walks to exciting plans, from weekly routines to the rare outing- all of us have run the gamut for our date night routines and favorite ideas. As with many things, our date nights have evolved over time as our familes have grown. When our babies were little, it may have felt hard to get away, but that time felt more rejuvenating. As our kids have aged, many of us seek a different way of connecting. Rebecca explains, "We don't go on as many date nights, but we also don't need to escape like we did before. The purpose of date night has shifted to primarily focus on reconnecting with each other and celebrating our marriage." Emilee shares how they celebrate a "family date night" to fill everyone's cups. As she puts it, "Dates nights are not a one size fits all. Connection, no matter how we make it happen, is what matters." Read on for date night opinions from 6 busy moms.

Jen, Bespoke Travel Designer from @GlobalonDemandTravel

For date night, I love doing something active or trying a new experience together. Whether it's taking a cooking class, going paddle boarding, or sharing a new culinary experience—like checking out a new restaurant in town or going on a food tour in another city—I find that shared activities spark more meaningful conversations and create lasting memories.

I believe that doing an activity together or trying something new creates a greater connection than a passive experience like just watching a movie. Being engaged in the moment, laughing through mistakes, or learning something side-by-side builds a stronger bond. It’s not just about spending time together—it’s about how that time is spent and the energy you bring to it. A great date night should leave you feeling closer and inspired for the next one.

Rebecca, Woman's Leadership Coach from @PleasantlyAggressive

Shortly after having our first child, we set a goal to have a date night every weekend (yes, every weekend), and we succeeded! It didn't have to be grandiose; it just needed to happen.

If I'm being honest, the purpose of date nights when the kids were young was to escape. To be free from the responsibility of caring for little humans together. We tried not to talk about the kids, and instead talk about work, extended family, and bigger goals. Now, and for the past few years, my children have been old enough to stay home by themselves. It was exciting at first, but we often take it for granted now. We don't go on as many date nights, but we also don't need to escape like we did before. The purpose of date night has shifted to primarily focus on reconnecting with each other and celebrating our marriage. Now, we talk about the kids on date night, but not the calendar or upcoming responsibilities. Instead, we marvel at how awesome they are, share worries, and make plans for their future.

We have lots of time where the boys are out of the house. We both work from home, so there are lots of daytime walks where we talk about the bigger stuff going on in our lives. When we do go out, we just need dinner and some live music to recharge and reconnect. While it’s not a weekly occurrence anymore, we've made date nights an ongoing priority!

Ashley, Millennial Mom Nutrition Coach from @AshleyBreaksTheCycle

People always say to “make date nights a priority,” but if I’m being honest, that just doesn’t happen consistently in our house. With four kids, two full-time jobs, and what feels like a thousand sports and activities, life is simply full.

But here’s what we do make space for:

• Every summer, my husband and I carve out a few days away — just the two of us. No schedules, no sports, no carpool — just time to be together.

• At home, we connect in smaller ways. Morning coffee chats before the kids are up. Laughing together at night when the house finally quiets down. Quick check-ins during the day since we both work from home.

• And sometimes, we even sneak in a workout together — nothing fancy, just moving side-by-side, which always makes me feel like we’re a team.

It doesn’t look like traditional “date nights” right now, and that’s okay. We’re doing the best we can in this season, and honestly, those small moments of connection matter just as much as fancy dinners out.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not about how often you get dressed up for a night out — it’s about choosing each other in the middle of the chaos.

Emilee, Book Aficionado from @The BookClubCart

When the kids were little, in the summer, our sitter would come once a week so my husband and I could have a date night. We cherished these nights during a time of life when we were feeling so lost in the midst of toddler and baby life. These days, our kids are much more independent and parenting feels more hands off. (Of course it's just as busy but in a much different way than compared to toddler years!). My husband and I have so much more time to connect naturally these days, versus having to escape the house to do so.

This may seem like an unpopular opinion, but when we have a free night from sports or a not so busy weekend of games, we tend to crave family time over date nights. As our kids are growing up, we are enjoying similar things together. For example, our family loves golf nights, where we golf 9 holes and have dinner after. We love to take advantage of these free nights as much as possible. Family date nights fill everyone’s cups.

With that being said, my husband and I will meet out for lunch when our kids are at school. This feels so special to take time together during a busy workday. We usually schedule date nights sporadically throughout my husbands busy season when we naturally have less time together. We also choose vacation destinations that have kids camps, so we have some downtime without kids.

Date nights are important, but sometimes I think there is pressure to have them. And if you are like me where we have no family in town to turn to for help, which means extra coordination lining sitters up, sometimes date nights can feel more like a burden than helpful. And depending on your stage of life, you may need them to stay connected to your spouse, or you may be in the same boat we are, and find connecting as a family these days are our top priority.

Dates nights are not a one size fits all. Connection, no matter how we make it happen, is what matters.

Ali, Book Aficionado from @The BookClubCart

Date nights for Matt and I can be rare, with kids’ busy schedules and no family nearby to help. But we do try to make the most out of the little moments like sharing laughs, yummy food, or a movie on the couch. These moments often become the most meaningful and cherished dates of all.

While official date nights may be limited in this season of life I do have to brag on my husband, Matt, for being the best date night planner! He has planned sweet romantic evenings, weekend adventures, themed dates, and everything in the middle; which is why in this season of life I savor the time we have together.

Kim, Home Connoisseur from @Reverie.and.Root & Founder of Spilling Goodness

Our favorite date nights range from a new and fun experience to the tried and true favorite restaurant for dinner. Either way, the chance to catch up on more than kid logistics, connect about what has been on our minds and just have fun together makes for a great date night. Gifting a date night idea is also a favorite- whether for a birthday, anniversary or Christmas, suprising each other with a fun adventure is always exciting.

One year for Christmas, we made our main gift to each other a monthly new date night idea. One month we took a cooking class at Sur La Table, the next we went to a concert in the city (on a school night!) and one month we went to a Cubs game and stayed in the city. We mixed in a few local date night dinners at favorite restaurants for the times when sneaking away for long was tricky with three kids sports schedules. While the new and exciting ideas are fun, I find I love simple time together just as much. The trick to making it happen - put it on the calendar and make it part of the plan. It won't happen if it is something we try to squeeze in - as with anything else, the first thing on the calendar usually wins.

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