DIY Quarantine Nightlife: 16 Fun Ideas to Glow Up and Entertain Yourself at Night During Shelter in Place

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With many places still experiencing some sort of shelter inlace orders, there is no time like the present to make your space a nightly oasis. The days pass pretty quickly for me, but the nights seem to drag on. I had a job where I worked evenings and usually got off just in time to hightail it to the local watering hole and grab a drink with coworkers before last call. Now that things have changed due to COVID-19, people’s options for unwinding at night are limited. I’ve brainstormed 16 different ideas to help others, who also miss the nightlife, better enjoy their time at home. I have also included a list of night party themes and fun LED & GLOW products at the bottom of this post to help you take your fun to the next level!

1. Night Bike Rides. Pimp your bike with lights and speakers and ride around and explore your neighborhood at night…less cars and more fun for those who see you. Some cities even have dedicated “Night Rides” where folks gather on bicycle and ride around and explore their surroundings together. Start the trend in your home town!
2. Night Swim. Don’t have a pool of your own? Local swimming hole not opening for the summer? No worries, order a blow up pool & floaties. Swimming is an awesome way to get default exercise and cool off during these hot summer days. Its also next level when you go swimming at night! Jazz up your swim experience with some fun pool floaties, bluetooth speaker and some waterproof LED toys…or take advantage of the darkness and go skinny dipping 😉
3. Make Your Own Bar. Research cocktail/mocktail recipes, try making fun ice cubs, or even bedazzle some mugs! Have a favorite bottle of wine? Open it up and Pretend you’re a Sommelier…write down your tasting notes and then go online and compare to what the pros say. Go all out and make some “patrons”. Grab those stuffed animals, throw a shirt over a highback chair, or put a smiley face on a volleyball and call it Wilson…you get the idea!
4. Music. Find some cool DJs spinning on TWITCH, discover new music recommendations on Spotify or iTunes. Play an instrament? Go garage band and put on a concert for your neighbors. Invite them to sit on lawn chairs or do a drive by in their car. Feeling nostalgic? Checkout YouTube performances of past shows/old concerts. Turn your space into a private night club just for you & yours. Try mixing music with a movie experiments…like whatching Wizard of Oz with the sound off, but timed up to the Pink Floyd “Dark Side of the Moon” soundtrack. Commonly known as *Dark Side of the Rainbow*.
5. Dress up! So many times I would have a change of clothes in my car in anticipation of going to an event. Now, I can raid my whole closet on the spot and even do a costume change in the middle of the night because I have all my clothes and accessories easily available. Putting on a dressy outfit or a fun costume has been proven to positively influence your mood. Most people have an item of clothing or a specify accessory, that when they put it on, they feel different…better…magical even! That what we’re going for here! Added bonus, have a fun glamor shot session. Snap some selfies and preserve those memories and awesome outfits!
6. Play Games. From multiplayer online video games, to virtual cards against humanity, theres no reason you have to miss game night! House full of people? Go old school and play some Hide & Seek with the lights off or outside in the moonlight. Have an old JENGA set at home? Start writing truth or dare questions on those blocks to make things interesting!
7. Cook. Make yourself a bad ass dinner, then eat it IN THE DARK! Turn off all the lights or wear a blindfold. This pitch-black adventure is less about cuisine and more about touch-and-taste sensory overload. Focus on the texture of your ingredients and play with bold flavor profiles. When you take away the visual element, your other senses become more elevated, and actually enhance the taste of the food.
8. Stargaze. This is easiest to do when the moon is new. If you are lucky enough to live where there is minimal light pollution at night, this is as easy as going into your yard. If you’re in the city, take a drive into the darkness and find a place you can park your car & thrown down a blanket. There are a multitude of apps that help you look for constellations, or go old school and just print out a star map. See how many you can find!
9. Full Moon Celebration. The power of the moon has long been regarded as magic. Tap into that lunar awesomeness. Set some intentions, make mooncakes, or cleanse your space with Smudging by burning Sage. Tap into your earthy side and connect with nature and feel its energy. Take a moment to gain some knowledge…Read up on the many cultural superstitions that revolve around the power of the moon. Found one that is a favorite? The cycle repeats every 28 days, so make it part of a monthly routine. A full moon makes it easier for people to see at night, try having a moonlight yoga session or a picnic. Feeling gutsy? Take a walk in a cemetery with only the moonlight as your guide.
10. Put Up Christmas Lights. If you live somewhere that gets cold in the winter months, this is a great way to get a jump on your holiday light displays! Christmas lights make the night merry and bright…why not keep that spirit alive year round?! I recently put up our outdoor lights inside so I could enjoy the rainbow ambiance and twinkling. They genuinely make me smile through the dark times.
11. Bonfire! Light up that fire pit, hack your BBQ, or make a Burn Barrel. Cook over the open flame, roast some marshmallows for S’mores, or just toss on a color changing flame packet to see the rainbow in your fire.
12. Fun with Flashlights. Pretend your torch is a lightsaber and use the force to have an epic battle. Home solo and not feeling the Hans Solo? Tray your hand at shadow puppets!
13. Set Off Fireworks. ***Disclaimer*** Depending on where you live, this could be an issue. Check with your local laws to make sure you’re not committing an infraction or a fire hazard. Safety First. From giant cannon shells to handheld sparklers, theres something for everyone’s combustable comfort level. You can entertain your neighbors or just have an epic show for yourself. Either way, have fun lighting up the night!
14. Floating Lantern Send Off. While there are floating lantern festivals that take place all over the world, you can do them anywhere, anytime. They represent optimism and new beginnings. Release that negative energy, write on a lantern and send a personal message to loved ones that have passed on, offer up your worries and cares to the universe.
15. Spa Night. Being an adult is hard—treat yo’ self! Bust out those face masks, put on some calming music, light some candles, drop a bath bomb in the tub and soak. Crack some glow sticks and drop them in the bath for some glow in the dark fun. Take it to the next level and pour yourself a glass of wine or have a *special* treat and relax. You haven’t lived until you’ve eaten cake in the tub! Give yourself a mani/pedi and feel refreshed and ready to tackle whatever shit storm tomorrow has in store because you’re tough as nails baby!
16. Set Up an Outdoor Movie. There are ways to hack your cell phone to make it a projector. Suspend a light solid colored bed sheet and create your own drive-in movie. Pop some popcorn or have ice-cream sundaes to make the experience that much sweeter.

Have a fun night time activity that isn’t listed? Tell me about it in the comments! I always love hearing what cool things readers and friends get into ❤

We won’t be quarantining forever, so when all the shelter in place orders are lifted, be assured there will be some people looking to party. Want to plan your own post-pandemic celebration? Here are a few of my favorite classic night party themes to get you started:

Alice in Wonderland
Aliens/Outer Space.
Arabian Nights
Black and White Ball
Burlesque/Playboy
Circus/Funfair
Disco/Studio 54
Enchanted Forest
Fireworks/Fire & Ice
Fortune Teller/Tarot/Magic
Gangster/James Bond 007
GLOW/Blacklight/Light Up
Halloween/Scary
Masquerade
Monte Carlo/Casino Night
Pajama/Onesies
Prohibition/Speakeasy/1920’s
Space Cowgirl/Rhinestone Cowboy
Toga Party

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