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In today's economy, it can be difficult to plan extravagant date nights or even mundane to simply catch dinner and a movie. While many say that date nights are important in the maintenance of a relationship, it's also important to factor in the types of dates and the stability of those relationships as well as what to build on. According to the book "For Better: How the Surprising Science of Happy Couples Can Help Your Marriage Succeed", those who experienced exciting date nights were much more satisfied in their marriage or relationship than those who practiced more mundane dates. So, what type of dates then could be considered?
First it is crucial to understand the levels of adventure, interests, and curiosities each face in the relationship. Open communication is vital in any relationship and each individual's feelings on certain subjects should be taken into account. These are simply basic relationship maintenance tips.
Painting Date Night
If you're looking to explore the more creative or colorful side of a romantic evening, painting can offer a glimpse into one another's mind. It's easy to look up local classes that offer date night specials in your area or plan a nice evening on your own whether it be at home or outside. Canvases are fairly cheap and come in many different sizes. There are also many different types of paints one can use, though I would lean more towards acrylics. Don't forget the brushes! Overall, this date night may set you back about the cost of a dinner out around $30-$40, however depending on what you buy, the supplies should provide several nights of fun! You could also save some and paint rocks instead!
Get a good start on lessons and tips directly through Youtube! Here's a recommended playlist.
Get a good start on lessons and tips directly through Youtube! Here's a recommended playlist.
Learn a New Dance
One of the fabulous things about the internet is having information directly at your fingertips. Dancing is a good way to get active and let loose with one another. Share a couple of drinks, pull up some how-to videos on Youtube, open up a bit of space outside or in your home and feel one another's vibes! It's a good chance to share a few laughs and get a little intimate with one another.
Experience New Flavors
If you and your partner love to cook or are simply interested in learning how to rustle up your own delightful dishes, perhaps it would be a thrill to look into cook-in date nights. Taking in new aromas and experiencing new flavors are sure to put some more spice into more than just the food. Set the table, grab some aprons, and arm yourselves with cutlery. Google some cuisines you've been dying to try or go on Youtube for some fascinating tutorials. Better yet, check out this blog article for some pretty fabulous subscription boxes just for the cause!
Have a Picnic
Sometimes it's the little things that mean the most. A great date does not have to be this extravagant dinner date and can easily turn lunch into a romantic date. Pick a lovely spot that you both enjoy outside or just set up a nice place indoors! Put on some calming nature sounds in the background while you enjoy the meal or relax outdoors. Make sure you pack all of the essentials and don't forget insect repellent! If you need some conversation starters, check out this list of questions to ask your partner or get some great ideas for conversation starters from this list! Maybe even consider a fondue picnic for that sweet tooth.
Count the Stars
There's just something romantic about the night sky. Find a dark place where the night sky is illuminated with stars and grab a few drinks or some hot chocolate. Lay a blanket out on the grass or wherever you can find and stargaze to your hearts' content. Butter yourselves up for the evening with a small fire and some s'mores or just a favorite treat. If you and your partner are really into the diamonds in the sky, you may possibly look at joining a local Astronomy Club. You can even plan this in advance by checking for astrological event dates, lunar calendars, or check out these apps for star charts and more!
Watch the Clouds
Opposite of stargazing, go out during a nice day and lay the blanket under the sun instead of the moon. Look up and form images in your mind with the cloud shapes and even make up stories together with the images the two of you have created. It's a nice opportunity to simply stop and enjoy nature for what it is while spending some one-on-one time with your lover.
Do-It-Yourselves
Get the both of you using your hands with more DIY activities to share actual creations. It's not too difficult to find cheap DIY materials for projects or some things that are already lying around the house. There are plenty of laughs to be shared with freaky creations and lots of memories that can last a lifetime. Check out this list on Pinterest for some good starter ideas. You can also take a look at these subscription boxes to have materials and instructions sent right to your door!
Bake a Cake or a Pie
A tad bit more specific than baking a new dish, but a lot of fun can be had from baking a cake from scratch but once you have the basics down, there is an entirely new world to making this sweet treat. Have a blast with ingredients and put on some tunes while everything is being prepared. Then once dessert is done (it's a date night right? We can have whatever order we want!), make a pie! A pizza pie that is! There are so many different ways to prepare a pizza, make a memorable one.
Classic Game Night
There's something peaceful and entertaining about pulling out the old board games and cards and just having a quiet night in. An entire evening can be made just with baking, cooking, DIY, or mixing any others while finishing it up with some laughs and games. It's fun to go with the classics, but if you are a more....intimate couple, you may consider these more.... inappropriate adult genre games as well to turn the heat up.
Knock Some Balls
...By balls, I mean bowling balls! Visit a local bowling alley and have a little friendly competition while knocking out some pins. Share pointers with one another and even consider this one for a double date. If you're not so much into bowling, just about any sport will do! Toss a football, cue up, practice hitting some home runs, or even more fun than balls, throw a Frisbee! Just about any activity outdoors will definitely bring a couple closer together.
If you have a little extra, visit a GoodWill or other cheap clothing store, set a budget for one another, then pick out an outfit or a few for one another. Make sure to document the journey!
Play Dress Up
Share a Story
Read out loud to one another from your favorite stories. There's nothing like sharing those intimate feelings you get from plot-lines and characters with your significant other. If you don't want to go as far as to share that time, perhaps look at having a few chuckles playing games like Mad Libs to create your own stories by filling in the blanks, or look at investing into "Complete the Story" books. You can also create your own! Take turns creating sentences and every few lines, leave a few blanks for your partner to fill out. You'd be amazed at some of the tales you can tell.
Camp Out
If you can't make it to the wilderness, pitch a tent right in your own (or a friend's) backyard! Build a small fire and share S'mores and drinks, stargaze, and cuddle up under the night sky. When it's time to get cozy, snuggle up in a sleeping bag made for two. Incorporate a picnic in with the ordeal, turn off your phones, and pay attention to one another and the world around you. Also check out this cute list of romantic camping ideas.
Camp In
Remember as a kid when you used to build those little forts out of blankets and pillows? No one said you couldn't do that same thing as an adult! Set up a DIY phone projector, surround your living room (or bedroom) with blankets and pillows and stuff a bunch of comfort items and bedding inside. Ignore texts, phone calls, and social media while you snuggle together and watch a movie on the "big screen"..... like big kids.
Purchase a Polymer Clay kit and make it a night to work with your hands. Some are even oven safe so you can keep your creations. If the clay kits are out of the question, no one said you were too old for PlayDoh!
Look at investing in a few Nerf Guns and set up a small obstacle course in your house or in your yard. Make your rules then fire away! Plenty of fun can be had running around and firing those small foamy bullets at one another. Or, if you're into it, visit a shooting range and make it a competition with the real things.
Sculpt It Up
Lock and Load
Create the Big Picture
Make a delightful puzzle night complete with snacks, drinks, and some calming music. It can take several date nights to put together an entire puzzle, but it's totally worth it for the time spent together. Once it's completed, invest in some Modge Podge to glue together and seal your completed works and even have them framed. You can also look at ordering a personalized puzzle from a photo to make it more unique.
Sing It Out
Sing some karaoke together! Pull up some Youtube karaoke videos and really belt it out. Reinvent some duets, serenade your sweety, or have a sing off. Mix it up with a dance from another date night and you have yourself a performance!
Trivia Nights
Find out who really knows it all with a good-old-fashioned couples trivia night. This is another one that is perfect for double dates and group events as well. Go with a theme or have it mixed genre. Either way, it's set for some hard thinkers and sore winners. There are loads of pre-made trivia games on the market or you can either work together or go head to head on some app downloaded games on IOS or in the Play Store.
'Tis the Season
Take advantage of certain times of the year and carve pumpkins, decorate a tree, sight-see lights, explore decorations, create festive DIY projects, and more! Whatever may be the calling of the season doesn't have to be a dreaded time of the year, but can actually be used to a couple's advantage to make for great date opportunities.
Go Geocaching
Download the app to your mobile device through Google Play or the App Store and explore the world around you all while searching for hidden treasures. This makes for a wonderful opportunity to explore more of the areas around you while spending some great one-on-one time with your partner. You may even find some good eats and places of interest along the way! Learn more about Geocaching here.
Capture the Moment
Get the angles just right and go out for a couple's photo shoot. Get the camera ready and find a nice place with a scenic background, say cheese and snap away! Have some fun with different angles, play around with different themes, and don't forget to take some silly memorable snaps together. It may be worth looking into investing in a selfie stick or some sort of tripod to get those wide shots together. It may even be fun to hit up a local Goodwill for some costume pieces or mix-match some clothing articles and accessories from home to create some drastic looks.
Have a Spa Day
If paying for a full trip to a spa is out of the question for a night, make a spa day at home! Soak your feet in a homemade foot bath for super cheap or rejuvenate your pores with a homemade face mask. Take a little time to learn a bit about pressure points and how to give a basic massage for your partner. Play with one another's hair and even have a bit of fun with some temporary colored hair chalk.
Give Back
Share the heart you gave to one another with the world. Look up local volunteer opportunities and dive all in. Make it a point to make a change together and your love will go far. Look at advocating projects, fundraising opportunities, clean up jobs, fostering, and anything else you may be able to learn and grow together.
Brick by Brick
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Look at investing in a huge collection of Legos and create your dream house or even your dream town. There are loads of other things you can do with Lego's including a catapult competition, kit assembly, as well as image creations. This may also be a good place to mention model building, there are loads of different models available on the market that would intrigue both partners.
Act Out
Create a script together complete with prop usage and ridiculous lines then record each other acting it out or have someone else record for you. Or, if you aren't the acting type, perhaps you'd prefer watching someone else act... look up local high school plays, college plays, or anything on stage that you may be able to make a date night out of.
Survive the Apocalypse
Take a walk through town or pull up Google maps for a detailed view and go on a little trip. Discuss different scenarios in which apocalyptic situations could occur and where you are in that moment and time, make your survival plans. Create a list of rules of survival and prep details.
