EXPLANATION:
For this enrichment class, I provided a game and a bag of date ideas. I printed the game cards on pink cardstock & cut them out.
The game is a “Conversation” starting game. Or one to get to know your spouse better. Rules are included.
For the date ideas, I printed the “easy dates” on pink paper
“little planning dates” on white
“planning needed” on purple
“extra ideas” on white I cut all of the strips and put them in a bag.
For a large group, this can be a LOT of cutting…
This was simply so that in the “bag of dating ideas” You could say,
“I have time to plan out a date, lets pick one that needs some planning”
So you look for a purple slips of paper, and pull on out. If you like the idea you do it.
If you don’t like the idea, you throw it away.
On a day that you don’t have time to plan you look for a pink slip because those can
be done very quickly, and don’t take any real planning. Etc.
There are over 120 date ideas, so hopefully you will find some you like! 🙂
I live in Phoenix so there are some places that are mentioned that are specifically for our area. I
If you are doing this for an enrichment, you will want to change or take out the places accordingly.
Please Click on the Tabs below to get each thing you may want to print. 🙂 Happy dating for less!
(FYI, not every date is inexpensive, but for the ones that are, you can save up for some of those that may cost a little more! 🙂
Here are some of the idea’s without having to open the excel file:
EASY DATES
Take your tennis rackets to an outdoor tennis court
Get an ice cream and park where we can see the city lights (since we’re married it’s legal), but it seriously is a great way to talk and set goals, talk about concerns with the kids and things that we might want to do as a family.
Go to a bookstore/ library and get books to read together (if we’re feeling silly, sit in the children’s section and read our favorite kid’s books to each other)
Send your hubby a love email -with your hot date plans for the night!
· Old movie marathon. Nothing’s more romantic than great old movies. Rent a bunch of them on DVD, pop some popcorn, get some candy, and watch them in your living room wrapped in blankets.
· Window shopping. Walk around and look at stuff at some of your favorite stores — antique stores, used bookstores, unique clothing. Try stuff on. Make fun of stuff. Make it fun.
· Watch meteors. Get a blanket and look up at the stars. It’s best if there’s a meteor shower — shooting stars are magical. Otherwise, learn a few constellations and point them out to her. Ponder the mysteries of the universe.
· Sundaes. Delicious and fun. Share toppings.
· Go for a walk. I know it’s cold and it’s wintertime, but a brisk walk in the park or near a river is refreshing and healthy and you can often see more wildlife than in the summer. Besides, it gives you an excuse to have a cup of hot cocoa or hot spiced cider when you get back in.
· Listen to live music or a lecture at a book store. The big book stores here (the ones with the latte bars) often have a live jazz band on Friday or Saturday nights and lecturers at various other times. You can listen to the music for free or you can buy a hot cocoa and a cookie –plus it’s smoke free!
Thrift shop and buy a board game. Or really splurge and spend $8-25 on one at walmart you will play again. 🙂
Borrow movies from friends or the library. Swap rentals.
Ice skating (we have a rink near us now – Polar Ice on Santan Village Parkway just North of Ray Rd– and there are ½ priced coupons keep your eye out. Evening public skate is Wed 6:30 – 9:30, Fri & Sat 7:30-9:30 (longer afternoon hours also available.) Price $8 ea http://www.polaricegilbert.com DON’T FORGET SOCKS
Every Sunday evening, my husband and I take time to verbally appreciate each other for all the things the other has done for us through the week. We started this early in our marriage when we were both feeling angry and unappreciated. We started with a 2 minute time limit. At that point it was hard to find 2 minutes worth of things to be thankful for. We’ve stuck with this weekly, however and now we can ramble for an hour easily. I recommend this highly, best free thing I’ve ever done!!
San Tan flats good food and free dancing 🙂 All of the fun of camping out, with out having to sleep on the ground. Fire pits for marshmallow roasting. (Bag of marshmallows $3 Smores kit $8 available for purchase. They make the fire & the music- for free)
6185 West Hunt Highway Queen Creek AZ
www.santanflat.com Telephone# 480-882-2995
Take the kids to the sitter’s house, go back home watch movie & cook dinner. Don’t forget candle light! 🙂
Rollerblade at the park in Scottsdale (Try the paved trails in Scottsdale and Tempe (the Indian Bend Wash).
Try fondue
Racquet ball (Freestone Rec Center)
Basketball or just a game of horse (Freestone Rec Center)
Go to the batting cages:
Home Run Stadium www.homerunstadium.com 480 844 0489
1829 E. Main Street Mesa AZ (Main & Gilbert)
$1 per 16 pitches Cage Rental 1/2 hr = $12 1hr = $20
Rip City Batting Cages – Freestone Park (480) 497-9548
1045 E. Juniper Ave Gilbert, AZ (Lindsay and Guadalupe)
Fiddlesticks Family Fun Park www.fiddlesticksaz.com/tempe/
1155 W. Elliot Road Tempe AZ (Elliot & Priest)
One Token (20 Pitches): $1.50 60 Minutes: $17.50
Go to a nice place and just order dessert, sit and talk.
Read a book together (something fun, not self-help or parenting)
Ride Bikes (Try the paved trails in Scottsdale and Tempe (the Indian Bend Wash). It’s Super Long, it even goes through Scottsdale so you could get off the trail for a few min and grab some ice cream. (leave someone with the bikes!:))
Thrift shop and buy a board game.
Go to the Driving Range It helps if you have a set of clubs. But you can share one. And a large bucket of balls is $5-$8. Besides, he will have an excuse to put his arms around you!
Go ice blocking (This one is probably more fun with a group or another couple. Choose a spot with a hill, and kind of hidden, since it might be fine-able.
Bowling (You can find coupons for this too, sometimes even buy one game get one free!)
Karaoke is always one of my favorites, but not everyone would agree.
Pull out some bug spray and a cozy blanket and curl up together in your backyard or a local park for some stargazing.
Have a movie night, challenging each other to bring a flick within the allotted theme of the night – such as worst movie of all time or the best classic you’ve never heard of. You could even go so far as to make a weekend out of it.
Challenge each other to a contest. Anything works, and the sillier the better! Try sand castle building, hop scotch, name that tune, marbles…be creative!
Draw sketches of one another. Even if you can’t draw, you’ll have fun and create a lovely memory.
Have a tournament of your choice – Battleship, Monopoly, cards, Playstation, etc. For a twist, the winner has to plan the next date completely.
Think outside the box and go out for a romantic breakfast instead of dinner.
Bump each other with bumper cars. (Fiddlesticks has some & Bumper boats too)
Little Planning Date:
Visit the Rawhide Western Town in Chandler www.rawhide.com 5700 W North Loop Rd Chandler, AZ 85226 (480) 502-5600 Climb the rock wall, take old western photos, shoot guns or if you are really brave, ride “the widowmaker” (Mechanical Bull)! (There is a similar ghost town near Apache Junction.) Admission free, but attractions are not.
Game night with friends
Hometown football games. Concerts and plays.
Ask HIM on a date – in a fun way
This is a more casual one and I’ve never done it yet, but a friend of mine took their back seats out of their mini van and put an air mattress up in it. They drove to the San Tan Mountains – somewhere a little ways away, turned on a movie they rented with a DVD player (either in your car or get one of those TV DVD’s you can borrow from people), and watched a movie together. She had sparkling cider and fun glasses, some treats, and a love story movie – but you can do whatever works best for you.
· Picnic. One of my favorites. I like to pack a basket with home-made sandwiches (really hearty, good ones with good bread), fruits, cheese, desserts, candies, sparkling cider, snacks and all the utensils and napkins. Find a great spot for the picnic — sunset is probably the most romantic time.
· Home-cooked meal with candles. A specialty of mine. Even if you can only cook one thing well, you’ve got it made. Pasta or steaks are easy and sure bets (although I don’t eat steak anymore). A good dessert tops it off well. Candles are a nice touch.
· Play in the snow or water. If you’ve got snow, you’ve got magic. Otherwise, a pool or ocean or lake are also great ways to play. Playful is good.
· Poetry reading. These can be a lot of fun, especially if you have a poem you can go up and read. Write one especially for her and tell everyone it’s dedicated to her. Poetry can be very romantic (unless it’s the angry kind, in which case it’s a lot of fun).
Swap babysitting with another couple or pursue kids spending the night with friends. Watch a movie, take a bubble bath, take a walk and hold hands, take a drive to someplace with a good view (and smooch, if you remember how and can stay awake that long). If you want to splurge and go out, eat dinner at home and only have dessert somewhere nice.
Drive-in movie $6.25 (Tuesday night is only $4) on Mckellips and Hayden near the 101 (8101 McKellips Rd. Scottsdale 480-949-9451) I like a nice couch in the back of the truck or lots of blankets! Bring food and snacks too. For movie times: www.westwindpublicmarkets.com
Go to a rock climbing gym together. 🙂 (Freestone Rec Center is one place) or Phx rock gym: 1353 E. University
Tempe, 921-8322 Day pass w/gear $16
Rent pedal boats at Tempe town lake ($12 hr) www.riolagocruise.com/boatrental.html Call 480-517-4050
Go to the Temple
Go take a Hike! Papago Park is near the Zoo and has a big hole in a rock to hike into (easy hike) and great for mountain biking. There is also the San Tan trail off of Hunt Hwy (closer) turn left on Hunt and take a right in Thompson and follow the signs to the trail head. There is a small fee to get in to this one.
Walk through museums or walk through the Temple grounds.
Drive away from the city (to where it’s dark) and locate constellations If you don’t have a book on it get one from the library or go to http://stardate.org/ with lots of tips and ideas on how to find what, when & where. ( There are a lot more websites.) How many of the 88 constellations can you find?
Go to the park or lake and build a fire, roast hot dogs or make smores
Double/Group Date: $10 each couple, go to DI or thrift store and buy stuff for the other couple. Put it on and go out to ice cream or go home and take pictures with your new wardrobe. No peeking at what the others are buying.
Pottery painting at “as you wish” store ($6 + pottery you choose) 1649 S Stapley #101 Mesa, AZ 85204 (US 60 and Stapley Rd) 480-539-8400
Rent tandem bikes www.spinnersdiscgolf.com
$15 per hour, $25 for 2 hours, $30 for 4 hours. Spinners on the green 7607 E McDowell Rd #155 Scottsdale 85257 On the Tempe Town lake. ($200 deposit (credit card swipe) required incase of damage – all refundable)
Bike rentals: Tempe Bicycle (does not do tandem bikes)
715 S. Rual rd. 966-6896
Go Play Lazer Tag! (Can be even more fun in groups!)
Stratum Laser Tag
This is a large place with different levels and hiding places, which makes it more fun. Prices are $8 per game, 2 games for $14, 3 for $17, 4 for $20. Some nights unlimited games for certain hours for $15- $21 each. See the website. If you have a big group, ALWAYS ask about group rates.
1455 S Stapley Dr, #11, Mesa, AZ 85204 Cross Streets: Near the intersection of S Stapley Dr and E Harmony Ave
www.stratumhq.com 480- 545-5500
Golfland Sunsplash (mini golf, water park, laser tag, arcade & more )
https://tickets.golfland.com/mainstore.asp?vid=0 for current discounts.
There are internet specials. I.e. 1 game of Laser tag for 4 people $20. (Buy online) That is only 5 bucks a game! However, I it is smaller than the Stratum, just one level, which can make it more lame, esp. for adults. There are crazy good deals on Weds too. Call the numbers for more info and check internet for changing deals.
480-834-8319 Address:155 W. Hampton Ave. Mesa, AZ 85210
Planning Needed;
Take advantage of free concerts or movies in the park
Have a themed party. Don’t fool yourself. People don’t come to a party for the decorations. All you need is a plate of brownies and fun people. Your theme or your party will do the rest.
Have a “favorite kid memory” date. Each of you plans something you loved to do as a kid. And show the other. It can be as simple as chocolate milk bubble blowing contests, watching a favorite movie or bigger, like going to a baseball game.
Make your own advent calendar you fill in with goodies. . . Count down till a big day. Like your anniversary. A big trip or just next Thursday. J
· Treasure hunt. Another favorite. I set this up beforehand, writing clues on pieces of paper and leaving them all around town. Each clue led to the next, and at the end was a gift. You’ll have a blast driving around. It’s best if the places and clues are meaningful to the two of you.
· Festivals. Look in your local paper … you might find all kinds of festivals, from movies to dance to desserts and more. They cost very little, and they are a blast. Walk around, make jokes, sample everything.
· Museum. I love museums. They’re fascinating. Zoos are fun too. Also carnivals. Buy cotton candy.
Leave a note for your spouse about a “remember when” moment; try to recreate the scene at home.
Plan a scavenger hunt, have the prize be you!
Gondola rides (There aren’t any on Tempe Lake. However, you can give your hubby a stick and rent the 2 person kayak and make sure he sings to you.) Or you can do the “real” thing: Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch 7500 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA 85258 480 444 1234 Dine at their fancy Alto restaurant get free pass w/ dinner, otherwise it is 15 min $10 per person. (6-11pm) http://scottsdale.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/ for the menu & pricing ($12-35 a plate ish)
Dutch oven cooking in the desert
Go fishing at freestone park
Wally Ball with another couple or two (Freestone Rec Center)
Horseback riding at saguaro lake
Paint ball anyone???
take a cooking class together (free at shar’s)
Go to a Diamond-backs game ($5 seats)
Dance Instructions (ballet, country, tap, swing, square dance, highland, etc)
Drawing class/instruction
Broadway Palm Theater it is on the corner of Brown and Greenfield. They do the Murder Mysteries where the cast serves you dinner or you could hit up a musical they show different ones all the time and it is a buffet style dinner and then the show. Tickets are a bit pricy – But it is dinner and a show! (I think I have seen coupons for this before!)
