Looking for some new, creative family date night ideas this Valentine’s Day? Look no further; because our mommy blogger Jillian Prado gave us some of her own favorites.
There is something about the month of February that gets people going. Don’t get me wrong, I know people are naturally filled with warm and fuzzies for their significant others, getting ready to celebrate Galentine’s Day with their best friends or just living up the single life. It also seems that February 1st gets people moving and out of their winter hibernation. For my family, this is the time for us to reset and get back to our routines, which basically means that I need to get back to planning fun and creative activities for us.
This month I wanted to focus on date night ideas for my little one and I. What type of things can we do that keep us engaged? Where we can create and spend quality time together? I think back to when I was a kid and didn’t have a TV or computer readily available every second—how in the world did we pass all of that time? Turns out, we used to do a lot of things! We baked, played outside, made all kinds of crazy things, went on family adventures and had movie nights. So these are my inspiration for the list this month. Check out what I have coming down our family date night pipeline!
Baking
If any of you know me or my family, you know that my sister reigns queen of baking, and Aunt Jojo’s Cocos are hard to beat! To keep it simple for Rory and I, I’m going to use a good ole cake in a box. To make it easier for her, I’m planning to use the batter to make cupcakes and bake these while she’s asleep. Let’s be real, she’s 2 years old and will only be interested in the icing and sprinkles. I have the cutest apron and mini spatulas picked out for the occasion and am excited to finally use our learning tower!
If baking is not for you, I suggest reaching out to some local bakeries to see if there are ready-made kits you can order.
Spatulas | Apron Option 1 | Apron Option 2 | Learning Tower Option 1 | Learning Tower Option 2 | Cookie Kit
Crafting
It’s official: 2020 is going to be the year of arts and crafts in my household! I love watching Rory concentrate on what she is making or creating, it makes my inner artist heart so happy! Toddler crafting is also said to improve hand-eye coordination and the way their brains develop—huge bonus coming out of this date night! Since Valentine’s Day is around the corner, we are going to focus on making special cards for our family and friends in our dance class. I went ahead and shopped the Target Dollar Spot for some quick and easy Valentine Makes. If you are feeling really wild, you can check out the Valentine Box Kits as well! I’m also planning to have some basic craft materials on-hand if Rory wants to bling anything out.
Valentine Kit Option 1 | Valentine Kit Option 2 | Box Kit Option 1 | Box Kit Option 2 | Pom Poms | Pipe Cleaners
Family Adventure
It is so great seeing stores open for kids that are interactive, imaginative and just plain fun. That is exactly what Camp Dallas is. Plan on spending a small fortune on whatever item your kid must have, but I promise it’s worth it. This place gives children the opportunity to run free and explore with their parents. Now I know we are talking about date nights with our kiddos here, but they also offer parent night out classes and workshops. (Amazing.) We plan on making this a monthly visit, for sure.
Camp Dallas – The Hill
9830 North Central Expressway
Dallas, Tx 75231
Get Outside
Thankfully, it is starting to be a teensy bit lighter outside when I get home from work. I’m aiming to get outside with Rory at least twice a month, and I really want to hype her up for it to make it special. Typically, Daddy gets to do all of the outdoorsy things, so this will be new for us! I want to be sure to alternate our activities, but have enough planned to keep her occupied. (We are working with a very small attention span.) #BusyToddler, am I right? Hopefully I can incorporate some chalk drawing, acorn collecting, sports playing and jumping into the mix. Who knows with all of the rain in the forecast, maybe we can make a point to do some good old-fashion puddle jumping!
Sidewalk Chalk | Adventure Bag | Nature Kit | Kids Croquet Set | Basketball Hoop | Golf Set | Mini Bounce House | Rain Jacket Option 1 | Rain Jacket Option 2 | Rain Boots
Movie Fort Night
I used to love building forts with my friends and want to recreate this special opportunity with Rory. She can pick the movie, which will most likely be Frozen or Free Willy (we have both on repeat right now), have some delicious stovetop popcorn (yes, I actually use the Whirly Pop!) and snuggle up. I know this will most likely not last for the entire movie, given her age, but for me, it is more about making memories and spending quality time with my girl.
Stovetop Popcorn Maker | Popcorn Bowl | Fancy Seasonings
Jillian is currently leading Trend at The Michaels Companies, Inc. and has accolades amongst both fashion and trend corporations, having previously worked with industry giants such as Balenciaga, Twenty8Twelve, WWD and JCPenney. In her spare time, she is the editor of Drastically Appropriate, a Dallas based mom and fashion blog that displays her sometimes drastic, but always appropriate, style. Follow along with Jillian on Instagram and Facebook as she tries to keep it real while juggling her dream job, spending time with her soccer-obsessed husband, raising their 21-month old daughter and caring for their geriatric mini Pomeranian.
Photos courtesy of Emilee Prado.
