There's Nothing Snoozeville About These Dates

One of the most effective tools in your “Couples Toolbox” needs to be DATE NIGHT! This crazy lil’ tool works in magical ways that you haven’t even thought of. A special designated time set aside once a week or once every two weeks is a crucial piece of the intricate puzzle that couples create piece by piece as they build their relationship together.

Incorporating this gem does wonders to the level of intimacy that we all need and crave in our lives. Making an effort and a commitment to spend quality time engaging in conversation while enjoying a meal, going for a walk or a hike, brings couples closer and reestablishes the bond.

It doesn’t really matter what you choose to do, it’s the doing the date that counts. If coming up with ideas makes you cringe or makes your brain hurt, no worries, I can help you out in that area. I have included a list of ideas below that you can use a springboard to create other ideas or just pick one a week and roll with it. Make sure you switch things up though. Going to the same restaurant each week, picking the same meal and enjoying the same dessert sounds salivating but it also sounds dull and safe. We weren’t born to be dull people, get out there and shine. Going new places and doing new things together increases dopamine (that’s the happy hormone) and that’s a really good thing. When you are experiencing new things with your guy or girl it is a new level of shaking things up or adding some spice.

Here are a few ideas that you could use if you were stumped:

1.     Go for a long walk.

2.     Work out together.

3.     Make a meal together.

4.     Check out a new restaurant.

5.     Go for a hike.

6.     Catch a movie.

7.     Go to a comedy show.

8.     Take a Bible Study.

9.     See a play.

10.   Take a dance class.

11.   Go away for a weekend.

12.   Explore a local tourist attraction.

13.   Bowling

14.   Mini golfing

15.   Check out your local Farmer’s Market.

16.   Attend a Book Reading.

17.   Set up a mini scavenger hunt for your partner.

18.   Take your honey to a football game.

19.   Christmas shop together.

20.   Tour model homes in your area.

21.   Go grocery shopping together.

22.   Batting cages

23.   Go on a picnic.

24.   Get tickets for a basketball game.

25.   Horseback riding

26.   Wine tasting

27.   Get some of your favorite ice cream together.

28.   Swimming

29.   Go see a baseball game.

30.   Take a cooking class together.

31.   Yoga

32.   Get a couple’s massage.

33.   Go to a concert.

34.   Volunteer at a local food kitchen.

35.   Take in a hockey game.

36.   Drive to a nearby town and act like tourists.

37.   Go for coffee or tea.

38.   Find a little bakery for a yummy treat.

39.   Go to the museum.

40.   Star gaze in your back yard or at a nearby park.

41.   Test drive your dream car.

42.   Go camping.

43.   Board or card game night.

44.   Rent canoes or a boat.

45.   Karaoke night.

46.   Try a self-defense class.

47.   Go for a bike ride.

48.   Build a snowman.

49.   Go sledding.

50.   Have a candlelight bath.

51.   Plant a small herb garden.

52.   Recreate your first date.

53.   Go listen to live music.

54.   Do a Food Truck Tour.

55.   Go to the spa.

56.   Take a pottery class.

57.   Go ice skating.

58.   Head the carnival.

59.   Find a cool Dive Bar.

60.   Hit the driving range.

61.   Create a Bucket List together.

62.   Attend a Charity Event.

63.   Visit a local animal shelter and snuggle with the dogs.

64.   Go to a nearby farm and pick some fruit/veggies.

65.   Volunteer together.

66.   Take an hot air balloon ride.

67.   Visit a local State Park and explore.

68.   Boxing lessons.

69.   Visit the aquarium.

70.   Go to the Casino.

71.   Helicopter Tour of your city.

72.   Carve a Halloween pumpkin.

73.   Toast the pumpkin seeds.

74.   Try out each other’s favorite hobby.

75.   Go to an Escape Room.

76.   Try Paintball

77.   Check out your local Flea Market.

78.   Bake your favorite cookies or treat together.

79.   Go to the Zoo.

80.   Check out an art show.

81.   Go to a Drive-In movie.

82.   Make breakfast in bed.

83.   Go to the waterpark.

84.   Wash the cars on the driveway and get drenched.

85.   Plant a tree in your yard and watch it grow together.

86.   Explore a sex toyshop.

87.   Have a snowball fight.

88.   Play a game of laser tag.

89.   Go lingerie shopping.

90.   Visit an international or specialty grocery store.

91.   Find each other a book to read in your local bookstore.

92.   Play a few games of tennis.

93.   Go to a food festival.

94.   Head to the lake.

95.   Get tattoos.

96.   Go go-carting.

97.   Visit an arcade and play some old school games.

98.   Make a DYI project.

99.   Hire a photographer to take some fun pics of you together.

100. Play frisbee in the park.

101. Have a BBQ.

102. Go scuba diving.

103. Go fishing.

104. Play some pool at your local pub.

105. Make homemade ice cream.

106. Learn a new skill together (piano, guitar, ect)

107. Check out your local fish or meat market.

108. Decorate the house for the holidays.

109. Write a romantic letter to each other and read it out loud to one another.

110. Spend a night in a hotel.

Don’t use your kiddos, if you have them, as an excuse to get out of this either. We all have been guilty of making excuses or letting “life” get in the way. The weeks and months just start to fly by without notice. NOPE! Not happening, don’t let happen.

1.     Enlist the help of family to come and watch your little muffins.

2.     Exchange babysitting duties with trusted friends. One week you watch their kiddos and then the next week they watch yours. This could turn out to be fun with your spouse too, make it fun.

3.     Maybe you already have a regular babysitter and this is a non-issue for Date Night! Lucky you!

4.     Ask around at church or work to see if anyone knows a reliable sitter that could help you out on a regular basis.

5.    Or…best case scenario, use a combo of the suggestions above to get out there and make some memories with your love!

If you can incorporate Date Night into your regular routine, commit this one on one time to your love, and make your relationship a top priority; it will be one of the best investments that you will ever make. It will also be one of the greatest gifts that you can EVER give to your children. Having parents that have fun together and enjoy each other’s company is a gift that keeps giving. If you don’t have them yet or do not plan to have kiddos, you are building a firm foundation of which your relationship will grow, flourish, and last well into your golden years.