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Date Night Ideas
By: Family First Staff
Make your date night with your spouse special by putting a little forethought into it. Try to choose activities that you both would be interested in and that allows for communication and activity together.
If you're having a difficult time thinking of ideas, ask your friends for ideas. They may know of a fun restaurant or other local place that you don’t know about. Consider trying something different, like going to a mystery dinner theatre or a build-a-bear store. The following ideas will also help get you started.
Play a Tourist
Most people take for granted the “touristy” places in their town. They either only visit them when relatives are in town or just brush it off with a, “We can go there any time” attitude. Well, designate yourselves as tourists and visit a few of these places. If you need ideas, stop by your town’s visitor’s bureau for brochures. You can also check out the local travel section of your bookstore or at Amazon.com.
Most towns will have at least some of the following attractions:
Public tours of a local industry facility
Zoo
Aquarium
Historical sites
Botanical gardens
Art museum
Museum of natural history and/or science
Planetarium or observatory
Amusement parks
Water gardens
Walking tours (guided tours through the city)
Special events – check out your local paper for upcoming community events
Stay at Home
Send the kids to friends’ houses for the evening and just enjoy your time together at home. You could cook a special meal, or order take-out from your favorite restaurant. Then spend the evening with one of the following activities:
Reminisce together with your wedding photo album or scrapbooks. Talk about your memories of your first date, your favorite times together, and what you love most about your spouse. Or perhaps you could recreate your first date together.
Get to know each other a bit more with our free conversation starters. Or pull out your high school yearbooks and share what life was like growing up. Find out at least one interesting fact about your spouse that you didn’t know before.
Play your favorite games together. Bring out the classic board games or a deck of cards.
Cook a meal together. Have fun learning how to make something new. Or have a pizza night and make your own customized pizzas. Have fondue, a cookout, a sundae party or even make your own homemade ice cream.
Read a book together. You could either take turns reading pages, or have fun taking on characters’ roles. Or read the book on your own and have a night to discuss what you liked about it.
Work on a home project together, such as painting a room, building a new bookcase, or planting a garden in the backyard.
Get Outside
You don’t have to be an athletic person to enjoy the benefits of the outdoors together. Simply taking a walk at a local park will give you some exercise and some time with each other.
Go on a picnic. You can either have an elaborate meal or basic sandwiches, but just simply enjoy your time together.
Find a spot outside of the city and go star-gazing. Find a book on astronomy and pick out constellations. Or try to find out when the next meteor shower or other astronomical event is taking place and be sure to view it.
Try an outdoor activity that you might not normally do, like flying a kite. Or go bicycle riding, roller blading, ice skating, horseback riding, water skiing, or camping together.
Go for a walk at sunset at the park or beach. Or rent a canoe at a local park and have a picnic on the water.
Try a new sport together, such as tennis or golfing – even if it is just putt-putt golf.
Take advantage of your park and recreation department’s activities. Many places offer concerts, plays or movies in the park. And be sure to keep an eye out for the next fireworks showing in your town.
Take a daytrip to explore a nearby town or a drive through the country. During the winter, take a drive at night to view the Christmas lights.
Spend your time together helping out others. Volunteer together for a charity walk or helping to build or paint houses.
Learn Something New
Build some memories together by learning something new as a couple. Check out your local recreation center or community college for classes. Pick something you both have always wanted to learn but have never tried.
Take a dance class together. Or buy a dance video and learn a few new steps on your own. Then spend the evening dancing to favorite songs.
Learn a new foreign language, and if possible start planning a romantic vacation to the country where the language is spoken.
Find a pottery store that lets people make and paint their own pottery.
Whatever you decide, pick something that you both will enjoy and will give you the opportunity to have fun together. Even something simple as bowling or getting coffee or ice cream together can help build your relationship.
By: Family First Staff
Make your date night with your spouse special by putting a little forethought into it. Try to choose activities that you both would be interested in and that allows for communication and activity together.
If you're having a difficult time thinking of ideas, ask your friends for ideas. They may know of a fun restaurant or other local place that you don’t know about. Consider trying something different, like going to a mystery dinner theatre or a build-a-bear store. The following ideas will also help get you started.
Play a Tourist
Most people take for granted the “touristy” places in their town. They either only visit them when relatives are in town or just brush it off with a, “We can go there any time” attitude. Well, designate yourselves as tourists and visit a few of these places. If you need ideas, stop by your town’s visitor’s bureau for brochures. You can also check out the local travel section of your bookstore or at Amazon.com.
Most towns will have at least some of the following attractions:
Public tours of a local industry facility
Zoo
Aquarium
Historical sites
Botanical gardens
Art museum
Museum of natural history and/or science
Planetarium or observatory
Amusement parks
Water gardens
Walking tours (guided tours through the city)
Special events – check out your local paper for upcoming community events
Stay at Home
Send the kids to friends’ houses for the evening and just enjoy your time together at home. You could cook a special meal, or order take-out from your favorite restaurant. Then spend the evening with one of the following activities:
Reminisce together with your wedding photo album or scrapbooks. Talk about your memories of your first date, your favorite times together, and what you love most about your spouse. Or perhaps you could recreate your first date together.
Get to know each other a bit more with our free conversation starters. Or pull out your high school yearbooks and share what life was like growing up. Find out at least one interesting fact about your spouse that you didn’t know before.
Play your favorite games together. Bring out the classic board games or a deck of cards.
Cook a meal together. Have fun learning how to make something new. Or have a pizza night and make your own customized pizzas. Have fondue, a cookout, a sundae party or even make your own homemade ice cream.
Read a book together. You could either take turns reading pages, or have fun taking on characters’ roles. Or read the book on your own and have a night to discuss what you liked about it.
Work on a home project together, such as painting a room, building a new bookcase, or planting a garden in the backyard.
Get Outside
You don’t have to be an athletic person to enjoy the benefits of the outdoors together. Simply taking a walk at a local park will give you some exercise and some time with each other.
Go on a picnic. You can either have an elaborate meal or basic sandwiches, but just simply enjoy your time together.
Find a spot outside of the city and go star-gazing. Find a book on astronomy and pick out constellations. Or try to find out when the next meteor shower or other astronomical event is taking place and be sure to view it.
Try an outdoor activity that you might not normally do, like flying a kite. Or go bicycle riding, roller blading, ice skating, horseback riding, water skiing, or camping together.
Go for a walk at sunset at the park or beach. Or rent a canoe at a local park and have a picnic on the water.
Try a new sport together, such as tennis or golfing – even if it is just putt-putt golf.
Take advantage of your park and recreation department’s activities. Many places offer concerts, plays or movies in the park. And be sure to keep an eye out for the next fireworks showing in your town.
Take a daytrip to explore a nearby town or a drive through the country. During the winter, take a drive at night to view the Christmas lights.
Spend your time together helping out others. Volunteer together for a charity walk or helping to build or paint houses.
Learn Something New
Build some memories together by learning something new as a couple. Check out your local recreation center or community college for classes. Pick something you both have always wanted to learn but have never tried.
Take a dance class together. Or buy a dance video and learn a few new steps on your own. Then spend the evening dancing to favorite songs.
Learn a new foreign language, and if possible start planning a romantic vacation to the country where the language is spoken.
Find a pottery store that lets people make and paint their own pottery.
Whatever you decide, pick something that you both will enjoy and will give you the opportunity to have fun together. Even something simple as bowling or getting coffee or ice cream together can help build your relationship.
For more family-strengthening resources, go to FamilyFirst.net.
Reprinted with permission. © 2007 Florida Family Council, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Family First, All Pro Dad, iMOM, and Family Minute with Mark Merrill are registered trademarks of Florida Family Council, Inc.
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