Traveling as a parent can be challenging. For example, finding someone to watch your kids for an extended time, using time off from work when you burned it all for your daughter’s 3rd fever of 2023, and managing the increasing costs and inconsistencies with travel are all difficulties parents face when wanting to plan a couples getaway.
However, that doesn’t mean you need to stop bringing some international love into your next date night! If you can’t physically travel the world with your partner, grab your passport and circle the globe at home! Prioritizing date night keeps your relationship exciting and requires you and your partner to stay connected. Keeping date night creative and fun allows for laughter, quality time, and a deeper connection. While it’s easy to say, “We are just too busy!” or “We’re trying to save money,” this internationally inspired at-home date night is easy to plan, affordable, and will get you and your partner reconnected!
Story Stages
Stop 1: Mexico
Kick the night off with an appetizer of chips, guacamole, ceviche, and elote. While enjoying this delicious cuisine, enjoy the sounds of traditional Mexican mariachi music. Mariachi is a genre of music that originated in Mexico in the 18th century and remains popular today. The sounds of the theatrical string instruments can accompany you and your loved one as you create vision boards of your future travel aspirations. Spend time cutting pictures out of old magazines and pasting them to poster boards to remember the places you hope to travel together one day. As you create your boards, share your travel goals with each other and talk about ways you can make them happen.
Stop 2: Italy
Once the glue is drying on your vision boards, head to your kitchen to make some Italian-inspired pizzas. Plan ahead by adding pre-made pizza dough, sauces, cheeses, and preferred toppings to your grocery list. Enjoy the time together as you get creative decorating your pizzas. Cooking with your partner encourages communication and connection and is one of the top activities couples can do to strengthen their relationship.
Stop 3: Cuba
While your pizzas are in the oven, make a quick stop in Cuba as you and your partner practice your salsa dancing skills! There are several videos available online teaching the basic steps. Enjoy listening to the music and moving along, even if it feels unnatural. Embrace your two left feet and let yourself laugh and have fun. Dancing with your partner can increase communication, reduce stress levels, and rekindle the spark in your relationship!
Stop 4: France
Head back to Europe while you and your partner create a painting fit for the Louvre. Prepare ahead of time with canvases, paints, and brushes. These can be found cheap at discount retailers. Even without art skills, let yourself have fun with this! You and your partner can get creative. Need help with what to paint? Face each other and try to paint your partner! Do a Google search on two canvas painting ideas, where each of you paints a half, or find a video online of a simple how-to! Painting with your partner encourages non-verbal communication and gives opportunities to practice patience with each other.
Stop 5: Japan
End the night cuddled up on the couch with a final stop in Japan! Be sure to get your snacks ready before grabbing the remote. While popcorn seems like the simple movie night option, get into the international spirit and try a traditional sweet treat with a Japanese candy subscription box. Netflix has many highly acclaimed Japanese films available for viewing. Looking for something romantic? Check out Love Like the Falling Petals. Looking for a dark thriller? Check out Homunculus. A sweet, traditional anime? Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop.
Need to include the kids?
If date night is for the whole family, that’s fun too! Turn it into a complete staycation by setting up a family fort in the living room with pillows, blankets, and time together. Print out some coloring pages of each country’s flags and traditional items to keep your children occupied while you and your partner can reconnect through conversation on the couch. Encourage them to set their own goals of where they would like to travel one day, too!
