Oftentimes people go out to a restaurant, movie, play, museum, event, cafe, etc for a great night with their partner or family is a great way to keep things interesting during the night. But it certainly isn’t the only way to do so. Whether you choose to not go out or have no other choice but to stay in, having an activity night at home can be equally fulfilling.
The common notion is that a family or couple should go out to make things memorable and give the assurance that there’s an effort put into it as they might have planned it way back. But it certainly isn’t the only way to do so. Whether you choose to not go out or have no other choice but to stay in, having a movie or game night at home can be equally fulfilling.
And of course, staying in has plenty of other perks, too. You’ll most likely save money, you won’t need to change and go the extra mile to dress up or become a high-maintenance fashionista one night, and won’t stress about going out and taking into account the traffic just to reach your destination or event/activity to name a few.
Slip Into Your Finest Pajamas
While getting all dressed up for a night out can be fun, there’s something equally great about staying in, being comfy, and seeing where the evening takes you. Wearing your favorite and finest pajamas, snuggies or blanket can surely make or break your indoor movie or game night with your partner or family. Sometimes the best night outs don’t involve doing anything except being with each other.
Set The Mood
Be intentional about setting the right tone for the evening as this will help your movie/game night stand out from the rest of the week, especially if you live together. An easy way to change the whole mood is by paying attention to the lighting or ambiance of the room or surroundings. Turn off the blinding overheads, lamps, or lights and burn candles instead. And while you’re at it, consider diffusing essential oils or lighting incense. It’ll all add up to create a different atmosphere and get you in the right headspace for spending quality time together with your family or partner.
Get Rid of Distractions
Since the activity night is about hanging out with your family or your partner and not the rest of the world. Try not to spend it staring into Instagram, ignoring each other while you text, or letting the TV drown out your conversation. It’s best to disconnect from any possible distractions at all.
Instead, try getting rid of distractions just for a couple of hours or for the whole night to make things more meaningful and eventful for the family or couple. While it may feel unnatural at first since almost everyone’s daily habit is to be stuck on their gadgets or doing other hobbies or tasks at hand. They should talk about putting their phones away, closing their laptops, and making an effort to focus on each other. You’ll likely feel much closer and have much more meaningful conversations if you’re able to fully participate attentively.
Pick A Theme
Of course, for couples, you could just cuddle up with beers and Netflix and call it night. But if you want to take your movie night to the next level. Try going the extra mile by choosing a theme and really doing it up and participating with the said theme in mind. This also applies to families who would like to do an activity together and by picking up a theme. It could go a long way and be the pivoting or crucial point in which everyone in your family will be enticed to participate and fully experience the impact or magic of the activity in mind for the night.
It would be best to turn off the lights and watch horror movies along with your favorite pillow or blanket to cling onto. The family may opt to watch a cooking show while making certain cookies or desserts to spice things up for the activity they will be doing in the night. They could also dig out board games and get competitive if they choose to spend more meaningful yet simple family time or activity.
Take Photos Together
Grab a Polaroid or digital camera or DSLR camera and take candid shots in the kitchen or living room while you’re cooking dinner for your partner or family members especially the kids when they least expect it.
Everyone likes to snap a pic or two when they’re out at an event or all dressed up in a restaurant or event. But the same urge doesn’t always occur when you’re sitting around the house, hanging out on the couch. And yet, you’ll likely cherish these everyday photos just as much as the fancier ones in the future.
Have A More Meaningful Activity
When you can’t go out to have a meaningful dinner or activity to spend with your family or partner. It would be best to create other alternatives especially those that would really get the interest of your family or partner without straying too far away from the given theme.
If the family fancy a game night, it would be best to try and create homemade specialties that the kids would love. May it be your family’s signature dish created by your grandparents when they were young. Or create popcorn and get a pint of ice cream for your partner to enjoy the movie night you will have with your cozy pajamas and blankets. It would be the best time to bring nostalgic things back to the table as it not only strengthens your family bonds but the added history or nostalgia could lead to long conversations and reminiscing of the past that your family would really enjoy and won’t take for granted for.
Do Something Quiet
Staying in offers a chance to reconnect in a way that’d be tough to do compared to being out in public. So use this to your advantage, especially if you’ve been feeling distant lately or one of your family members whether they are busy with their own errands or hobbies. By purposefully choosing a quiet and relaxing activity, the bond between the family or your partner will surely have a greater impact as you try to reconnect to them meaningfully and genuinely all by setting the right ambiance and choosing the perfect quiet place for your activity.
Another alternative would be trying to curl up and read your favorite novel out loud to your partner. It can be quite enjoyable to have time genuinely just for the two of you where the focus is entirely upon one another. Where more intimate conversations can be had and fewer distractions can be experienced as well for the sole purpose of getting to know one’s personal interests and passion towards reading.
Try Something New
If you aren’t in the mood for fancy pajamas, board games, or candles there are other ways to go about creating a great activity and setting the vibe for the night.
Oftentimes, families or couples can feel bored from the predictable routines. As it lessens or kills the thrill of excitement or the experience of something new. Think along the lines of cooking something you’ve never made before or trying to shift focus, time, and attention on a new task together that would create bonding time for your family and partner.
Just Talk
While it’s perfectly possible to have a great conversation when you’re out together, chances are you’ll hold yourselves back in some way. Either because it’s loud outside or because you’re sitting mere inches away from another group of people, family, or couple.
When we’re outside in public there is a possibility that a self-imposed restriction on how deep we share with others due to people or other parties might overhear or see our emotional reactions which can hinder your kids or partner to enjoy the night when you’re out in public places.
Over dinner, while doing an activity in the living room or while curled up on the couch. Go ahead and talk about heavy stuff, talk about light stuff. Whatever comes to mind or within the mood of the situation as it may be a start to catch up upon one another’s life and happenings that could help reach out or understand the current situation an individual might be facing at the moment of his/her life. If you feel like you’ve talked about everything with your family or partner. Movie or game nights at home are, after all, about being cozy, reconnecting, and treating yourselves to this exact type of quality one on one time.
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