A couple of years ago, we went to a local nerf dart arena and had a really fun date night. We had a lot of fun running around competing against each other or on the same team against other people who were there. Inspired by that fun date night out, I put together a competitive at-home date night that my husband couldn’t not love! This is the perfect activity for weeknight fun after the kids are in bed or an at-home date night on the weekend.
For more date night ideas like these ones, check out the book, Prioritizing Date Night in Your Marriage, with 300+ date night ideas.
I bought Joe a pair of nerf guns and lots of darts for our first married Valentine’s Day. But we rarely use them, except when the kids ask to play with them. This competitive date night activity seemed like the perfect time to pull them out. It will definitely become a regular date night because we had so much fun!
I’m sure you’ve seen the fun invitations that one spouse leaves for the other spouse to find. The notes initiate a nerf war in their home. You leave the gun and ammo where they can find it. With the gun is a note that lets them know that you have the other gun and are hiding somewhere in the house. This is a really fun way to surprise your spouse with a fun date night! The entire house can be your war grounds and you can even take it outside if the weather is nice enough.
For our nerf gun war, we decided to confine our fight to one room. We each picked a piece of furniture for our fort and went to war. I wish I’d picked a taller/longer piece of furniture that I could hide behind better. But it just made for more of a challenge for me!
During the warmer months, you can take your war outside. Or add an extra element of fun by using squirt guns instead. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, start a water fight inside! Just be careful of surfaces that are slippery when wet. And be aware of rooms with electronics so you don’t get water on anything that would get ruined. On second thought, maybe keep the water fights outside…
Take advantage of the time when your partner is reloading their darts to sneak out from your cover and attack them from behind 😉
If I’m being 100% honest, I’m not very good at these dart wars, but the more we play, the better I get. I’m usually the one getting attacked while I reload or try to get my gun to work.
Tip: Don’t let your war get too serious or too competitive. The goal of date night is to have fun! Make sure you’re both having fun and that one of you isn’t getting constantly attacked and not able to have fun shooting back. This activity can be a good way to relieve some frustrations, but don’t take it too far.
After you’re done with your nerf war or your water fight, order pizza or pick up your favorite takeout and reconcile your differences. You could even cook dinner together for a fun cooperative activity after all of your competition.
Related: Date Night In – A Date Night at Home Cookbook
If you are looking for an extra something to end your date night with, throw in a movie. ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ would be a great addition to this date night activity if you want to keep it on theme. They take the whole war between spouses to another level and it’s fun to watch! This is also a great movie that both of you can agree on and enjoy watching together. Action, romance, and a bit of comedy all rolled into one.
If you’re choosing the squirt gun variation for this date night and the weather is warm enough, create a drive-in movie in your own backyard. Click here for more ideas to create your own drive-in movie experience at home. We also love to pile the blankets in our family room, or blow up an air mattress and watch a movie for date night in a different setting and a different way.
Related: Date Night Movies that You’ll Both Enjoy
The most important part of any date is to have fun together! Laugh, play, and enjoy the time that you have to spend together! Throw this fun playlist on while you’re playing to set the perfect date night mood. You’ll love this competitive at-home date!
