7 Fun First Date Ideas

Dating can be a fun experience especially if awkwardness is kept at a minimum. Couples who find creative ways of getting to know each other—allow opportunities to laugh giving way to less nervousness. There’s enjoyment in learning something new together in a carefree environment. Believers who date can have a good time in their fellowship together or with a group of people. God blesses His people with the ability to make the most of their life on this earth. Try these fun first date ideas:

#1) Have a Picnic at the Park

“Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy” (Psalm 96:12).

Any season of the year is good for a picnic if you are creative enough. Winter may have some limitations, but add a sled plus hot chocolate and you have a fun winter land experience. God created beauty in nature that we can enjoy and appreciate all year long. This could be a good time to share fond childhood memories of being outdoors.

#2) Take a Ballroom Dance Class

“A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:4).

Dancing isn’t for everybody, but if you are courageous and humble enough—it can be a gratifying new experience all around. Most communities offer new to ballroom dance classes for interested couples at a nominal fee. Learning the basics together can bring out a lot of laughter, but hopefully not tears when toes are stepped on! The key to making this date successful is to relax and focus on having fun more than anything.

#3) Visit the Zoo

“God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:25).

Visiting the zoo isn’t just for children—it’s possible to keep expanding your knowledge of wildlife as an adult. Couples can enjoy a stroll throughout the zoo for getting to know one another a little better. Depending on your local zoo, many of them offer opportunities for engagement in the handling of different animals as well as train rides.

#4) Attend a Local Art Festival

“See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel…and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts” (Exodus 35:30-33).

Almost every community has art festivals during the warmer months. These festivals can be a mixture of pottery, jewelry, homemade crafts, paintings, and much more. It’s an opportunity for couples to broaden their artistic exposure together. Some festivals have artists on hand who will do portraits of customers on the spot.

#5) Enjoy a Night at a Carnival or Fair

“However many years anyone may live, let them enjoy them all. But let them remember the days of darkness, for there will be many. Everything to come is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 11:8).

Carnivals offer a diversity of activities for a first date. Not everyone will want to do rides, but there are games, food, art, and sometimes farm exhibits. Go through a fun house or even do a little face painting as a great way to get to know each other.

#6) Volunteer Together at a Community Event

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:18).

You don’t have to have experience working on home projects to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. Not only as a couple do you spend quality time together, you also learn new skills as you are helping another family. Almost every city or town has regular 5K’s for worthy causes that couples could walk or run through.

#7) Sign up for a Cooking Class

“So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory” (2 Kings 6:23).

Cooking classes can be a learning experience all around. You can learn how to cook and sample eclectic types of foods or just a simple homemade meal. Couples can enjoy each other’s company in a comfortable environment. Learning how to cook together can be a great start to a relationship.

Be Creative!

Creative first dates may be the beginning of a great friendship or a long term relationship. The idea is to keep it fun and free from stress. The only person you need to impress is our Lord and Savior Jesus with your kindness and openness to learning something new. Having a good attitude and outlook brings a refreshing joy to any new relationship.

Article by Crystal McDowell

Crystal McDowell is a writer, speaker, and teacher with a passion to encourage believers to know and grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ through practical application of God’s word.  

Crystal and her husband, Marshall, raise their five children in the Bloomington, IL. As a freelance writer and editor for over 13 years, Crystal has published numerous Christian curriculums for Sunday School and VBS as well as many articles dealing with marriage, motherhood, and relationships. She’s a weekly staff writer for www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com as well as writing her own blog at https://crystalmcdowellspeaks.blogspot.com.