10 Dates to Heat Up Your Marriage This Summer
Ready to raise the temp in your relationship with some hot summer date nights? These 10 dates to heat your marriage during this summer of love can really turn up the thermostat in your relationship. (And you won’t even want to cool off.)
1. Be a Kid Again
When I think of my childhood summers, I remember endless games of tag and hide and seek. Now we have adult responsibilities that prevent us from being footloose and fancy-free. How can you bring some of that joy back? Be a kid again. Activities can include mini-golf, bowling, roller skating, and visiting an amusement park or an arcade.
2. Group Date Nights
Remember when you used to hang out with your friends? It may have been at the mall, a park, or the local eatery. Nothing was better than spending time with your friends, talking, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company. Get a group of your favorite married couples together. Go on a walking tour of your town, go ax throwing, or even participate in an escape room together.
3. Retro Date night
You know the saying, “What’s old is new again.” Think about the clothes, music, or hairstyles from the past. Find a thrift shop with clothes from the 50s, 60s, 70s, or 80s. Select an outfit for each of you. Host your own Retro Date Night with friends, or you all can dress up and have a date like they would have had in the past. For example, 50s Date: Go to a drive-in movie and then hit a hamburger spot or ice cream shop where you can share a milkshake.
4. Future Date Dight
Think about what your life might look like in 30 years. Would you be retired? Would you own that boat or lake house you’ve dreamed about? Would you have grandchildren? Would you have an RV? Try renting an RV and go camping near your home. Or go ahead and rent a lake house for the weekend.
5. Enjoy Your Town
You may have lived in your town for years but have never experienced it like a tourist. It may be fun to go on a walking tour. Enjoy the sights and sounds of a local farmer’s market.
6. Try out a First Things First Date Night!
We’ve got a long list of great date nights that all can be done for free and at home! [If you have kids, you won’t even need to hire a sitter. Just start after the kids go to bed and enjoy an intentional night together.] From learning how to Salsa to baking an apple pie together, you and your spouse can rekindle that spark without ever leaving the house!
7. Music of Your Life
Do you and your honey have a song? This summer may be a great time to take in an outdoor concert. One of my favorite local concerts is when our local symphony plays on the 4th of July. Classical may not be your favorite. However, see if your town has music festivals or local artists playing your favorite genres. “Sometimes music is the only medicine the heart and soul need.”
8. Expand Your Mind
Maybe the thought of heat or crowds of people doesn’t seem fun. Instead, you may enjoy quieter moments together where you stimulate your brain, the largest sex organ in the body. Seek out art or history museums. If your town has public art, find it. Go see a play performed by a theater group. Find and watch a lecture by your favorite poet or writer.
9. On the Road Again
Take a short drive, a weekend trip to the beach, or even a planned 2-week road trip that allows you to see and experience something other than the ordinary. While together, be conscious of talking to each other and not spending so much time on your phone or device. If you feel you have run out of things to talk about, here are a few conversation starters.
10. Let’s Get Physical
Being physical with your spouse creates a deeper level of intimacy and greater bonding with each other. Participate in a virtual race and train together. Or, take any outdoor exercise class like walking, yoga, kayaking, etc. (If you run out of ideas, you can always do a bedroom date!)
Let this be your summer of love!
Other helpful blogs:
3 Great Dates To Enhance Communication In Your Marriage
5 Ways to Keep Your Relationship Fit
6 Exercises to Strengthen Emotional Intimacy in Your Marriage
7 Questions Every Couple Needs to Ask Each Other to Improve Their Sex Life
DIY Date Night | Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer’s Day?
April is national poetry month! And what better way to celebrate than devoting a date night to your love? This DIY date night will get the two of you swooning over romantic poetry together, and, if you’re feeling bold, writing your own!
Date Night Option 1: Poetry Appreciation
Take a trip to your local library or bookstore (or search online) for a book of poetry or an author you think your spouse would enjoy! You can either check it out of the library, buy it from the bookstore, or find a place to sit wherever you are and spend some time reading together. Maybe even read some of the poems out loud to your partner. (Talk about romantic!)
Date Night Option 2: Poetry Enjoyment
Live in or near a big city? Research some spoken word events near you! Chances are, there are some close by you may have never known about. Even though these events can seem over the top sometimes, it can make for a really great date night with lots to talk about afterward!
Date Night Option 3: Poetry Creation
Now it’s time to make some poetry yourself! Keep in mind, you don’t have to be the world’s best writer to create poetry. You don’t even have to know how to rhyme! All you need are some good tips (check out this list here) and a muse. And that’s what you have your spouse for! Below is a list of topics about your spouse that you can use to write poetry. See how many you can write! (pssst… Need a little extra guidance or inspiration? Here are a few different forms of poetry to consider.)
Topic Examples:
- Physical features of your spouse: eyes, hair, hands
- Personality traits of your spouse: Your favorite thing they do for you, the way they laugh, what made you first fall in love with them
- Your relationship: How you first met, how you balance each other well, the way they make you feel
Want some more DIY date night ideas? Check out our full list of fun, creative date nights here!
Rain got your date night plans ruined? We beg to differ! Next time a spring shower pops up, pull out this date night and have some fun together. It’s all about getting creative and using those storms for the good of your relationship (kinda like in life)!
Supplies:
- Watercolor paper
- Watercolor paint (chalk would work if it’s just drizzling!)
- Two watercolor brushes
- A cup of water to clean out the brushes
Directions:
Next time the rain has your date night plans cancelled…
- Grab a couple of pieces of watercolor paper and your spouse!
- Be sure to set up your paint station with a cup of water and plenty of paper towels.
- Spend some time painting your masterpieces – the more abstract the better!
- Note: To get the best results, clean your brush between each color you use!
- Give them 5-10 minutes to dry. In the meantime, check out the questions below to pass the time!
- Once they’re about halfway dry, now comes the fun part! Take them outside into the rain. It’s up to you whether you let them get just a few sprinkles or totally drenched. You can lay it flat to dry for a unique texture/pattern, or hang it upright to get some cool dripping effects throughout your painting!
- If you didn’t finish the questions below, do that now to keep the date night going!
- Once they’re totally dry, hang them on the fridge to show off to anyone and everyone! These masterpieces deserve it!
Questions To Ask While They’re Drying:
- Do you like being creative together? If yes, in what ways? If no, why not?
- What would you say is the best date we’ve ever been on? What made it so great?
- Do you think we’re good at encouraging each other through life’s storms?
- What would you say has been the hardest/biggest storm we’ve weathered together? (Literal or figurative)
- What’s one thing we can do to learn how to use the storms of life to better our relationship instead of tearing us apart?
- In what ways have we seen the flowers bloom because of the “spring showers” we’ve been through?
- Would you say I do a good job of encouraging you? What’s one thing I can do to be a better encourager?
Want more DIY Date Nights? Check out all of our date ideas here!
25 Fun Dates to Spruce Up Your Marriage This Spring
It’s the time of year for flowers, birds, and butterflies. Spring is known as a time of rebirth after the dormant season of winter. For many, it’s the time for spring cleaning and sprucing up your home, inside and outside. Likewise, making time to spruce up your relationship may be what you need to stir up those butterflies in your stomach, too!
Dating in marriage can bring joy and fun to your relationship and even make it feel new and fresh again as you enter a new season.
This list of date ideas for couples can get you goin’.
- Visit a local u-pick farm. Find a farm that grows your favorite fruit (strawberries, blueberries, etc.)
- Check out a farmer’s market for some garden goodies. You’ve probably got a weekly market with local products you’d enjoy.
- Stargaze. Light your fire pit. Find specific constellations in the spring sky and talk about your dreams for the future.
- Watch a sunset/sunrise together. Take a thermos of coffee. Grab a blanket, find a spot, and snuggle up.
- Go Junking/Antiquing/Yard Saling. Spend $10 on a unique gift for each other.
- Ride bikes.
- Take walks together. It can be in your neighborhood, nature, or park.
- Play games in the park. Pack your frisbee, fly kites, or bring a ball to throw or kick around.
- Plant something together. Think flowers, an herb garden, or trees.
- Have an old-fashioned game night. Card games, board games, or Truth or Dare are good options. Use your imagination.
- Make homemade ice cream. Make your favorite ice cream and have toppings on hand that you like!
- Take a Segway tour, either of your city or a city near you.
- Fill out your own March Madness brackets with friendly wagers either game by game, Sweet 16, Elite 8, Final Four, or national championship. Prizes could be massages, Girls’ or Guys’ Night Out, or maybe the winner gets breakfast in bed.
- Participate in a First Things First Virtual/DIY Date Night.
- Plan a community service date where you focus on helping other people. Join local Meals on Wheels, a food bank, or a community clean-up. Give away stuff you don’t need/use. (Don’t be limited by this list. Let your creative juices flow!)
- Do a spring photoshoot. Take selfies, ask a friend to take pictures, or hire a pro. Go to various locations, such as a parking lot, museum, car lot, or a nature park.
- Visit a winery or distillery. Learn about the process they use and try samples.
- Have a water date. Paddleboarding, a water balloon fight, rafting, swim park, sprinklers/water hose, beach, canoeing, fishing, or kayaking are options.
- Create your own food tour of local eateries. Sample Thai food, pizza, sushi, tacos, hamburger, ice cream, or french fries. Check out places you haven’t tried before!
- Fire up your BBQ grill. Have a grilling contest and eat outdoors.
- Attend a minor/major/little league baseball game. Grab some peanuts and Cracker Jacks…
- Go to a drive-in movie theater. Find one here.
- Plan an “Expand Your Mind” date. Read and discuss a book together. Watch a documentary.
- Zoo date! Visit a nearby zoo or travel to one. You may be able to see newly-born baby animals. (And sometimes the library will let you check out a free pass!)
- Spa date night! Give each other pedicures, back and shoulder rubs, or foot massages. Do facials or take a steamy bath.
Spring is a time for new beginnings. And after the year we’ve had, that may be just what the doctor ordered. These spring date ideas can not only help you have fun with your spouse—they can create a fresh start for your relationship and help you have a stronger marriage all year long.
Have fun!
Other Helpful Links:
Getting bored of your typical takeout and a night in? Check out this date night, a spin on a more classic evening. This date night will get you safely out of the house, enjoying each other’s company, and growing deeper with every moment. And all you need is a car (and even that’s optional) and a bandana!
Supplies:
- A car
- A blindfold/bandana
Instructions:
- Both partners pick three menu items from a favorite restaurant. Don’t tell your honey! (If you need to order ahead from this restaurant, do so before you leave and do a curbside pickup order) [NOTE: Want to spend the full night in? Order delivery instead!]
- Pick one person to drive first. The other person gets in the car blindfolded!
- Go and pick up your food! Then drive to a different location so your spouse can’t see where the food is from. (Pro-tip, bring a blanket along to cover the food so they can’t see the bags/branding!)
- Now, switch roles and pick up the other order!
- Once both orders are picked up (and neither spouse knows where the other person went), you can finish this date night either in the car or back at home.
- One spouse, put the blindfold back on.
- The non-blindfolded person then has to feed their partner the three menu items! Keep the blindfold on until they’ve guessed what they’re eating.
- Switch roles again!
- Once you’ve both guessed all three correctly, put the blindfold down and answer the questions below to take the date night deeper.
Questions To Take It Deeper:
- On a scale of 1-10, how well would you say I know you?
- What’s one thing I can do to be a better listener?
- How can I better express my feelings and emotions to you?
- How have you seen me change since the first time we met?
- What would you say is my biggest strength and weakness?
- Would you say you’re more in love with me now than when we first got together?
- What can we regularly do together to help grow our relationship?
- How have you seen our relationship change since we first got together?
- What’s one thing I might not know about you? (Think abstract & get creative! Fears, weird thoughts, childhood memories, etc.)
- If you and I could go anywhere in the world together for a month (all expenses paid) where would you want to go?
- What’s one thing you’ve missed a lot because of the pandemic?
- How can we keep each other accountable to adapting to our ever-changing world?
Looking for more creative date night ideas? Check out our full page here!
DIY Date Night | Spring Fever
Although spring is right around the corner, many people still feel like they’re in the middle of winter. Whether you’re trapped in the middle of a snowstorm or enjoying some sunny weather, this DIY date night will get you and your love in the springtime mood! Here are a few ideas for what you can do on this date night (pick which one works best for you!), plus a few conversation starters to keep those convos deep, meaningful, and lasting!
Date Idea 1: Grow Old With Me
Supplies:
- Seeds (of any kind! Wildflowers, herbs, veggies, etc.)
- Two pots
- Potting soil
Instructions:
This date night really is as simple as it seems! The goal here is to plant some seeds so that they will grow and bloom (or fruit) by summer. If you’re not much of a green thumb, here’s a great article on what not to do! Once your seeds are planted, be sure to check on them regularly, keep them watered and in sunlight, and watch them grow!
Conversation Starters:
- How have you seen me grow in the past year?
- How do you think you’ve grown in the past year?
- Do you feel like there’s something missing from what you need to grow? (Not getting enough sunlight, water, etc.)
- What do you imagine when you picture us growing old together?
- What’s one thing we can do now to make sure we’re just as in love when we’re old together?
- What can I do to help you grow in the year to come?
- What seeds should we plant in our marriage now to help our relationship bloom/bear fruit later?
Date Idea 2: Spring Cleaning (No really, it’s more fun than it sounds!)
Supplies:
- That one project you’ve been putting off for sooooo long
Instructions:
Sure, this isn’t your typical date night, but who says it can’t be fun? Sometimes doing the most mind-numbing tasks (cleaning out the fridge, organizing that one closet, hanging those pictures you bought 3 months ago…) can turn into a fun memory when you do it with someone you love! Why not try it out? Get with your spouse and decide on 1-3 projects to do on this date night. Then try and make it fun along the way! Be sure to use the conversation starters below to help get the fun going.
Conversation Starters:
- Are there any conversations we need to have that you’ve been putting off?
- Would you say I’m a procrastinator? Whether yes or no, how do you think that affects our relationship?
- Is there anything cluttering our relationship that needs to be cleaned out?
- What’s one thing we can do now to keep things from cluttering our relationship down the road?
- Why do you think it can be so hard to be organized/clean in life?
- Do you consider this a fun date night? Why or why not?
- If you could snap your fingers and have any project (house, work, or other) totally done, what would it be?
Date Idea 3: Paint Your Garden
Supplies:
- Paper
- Finger paint
- Fruits and veggies
Instructions:
Stop repressing that inner 7-year-old and grab some paint! This date night is all about getting creative (and a little messy)! Cut fruits and veggies into shapes to make “stamps” with the paint! For example, if you cut off the base of a bunch of celery, you can use it to make a “flower” shape. Or the top of broccoli can make a sponge-looking pattern. Get creative with it! And when you’re done, you bet that art should be displayed on the fridge!
Conversation Starters:
- If you could choose one art medium to be really talented with, what would you choose?
- What’s one hobby that you would want to pick up? Would you want to do it together?
- If you had to choose a hobby for me to try, what would it be?
- When’s the last time you felt creative?
- Would you say I have an inner child? Why or why not?
- What’s one thing you and I can do together to have fun more regularly?
- What are some ways we can do better about prioritizing play in our relationship?
Date Idea 4: Plan for Adventure
Supplies:
- A computer or phone
- Accountability!
Instructions:
Not really feeling spring yet? That’s okay! What if you planned for it instead? Whether you want to train for a 5k or master your macaroon recipe, you and your partner can put together a plan on how to get there! OR you could even plan for a spring vacation instead. Whatever you choose, talk it through and make it happen!
Conversation Starters:
- What’s one goal you want to accomplish in the next few months?
- In the next year?
- Would you say that I do a good job helping you with your goals?
- How can I be a better support to you when it comes to achieving your goals?
- What’s one way we can be more in tune with each other this spring and help keep each other accountable?
- Do you think I’ve set any unrealistic goals for myself or our relationship?
- Do you consider planning for the future fun? Why or why not?
Looking for more Date Night ideas? Check out all of our FREE date nights here!
10 Creative Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is a great time to get outside the heart-shaped chocolate box and celebrate love and romance in a BIG way! If you want a hand in making this day unique for your Valentine, you’ve come to the right place.
These 10 creative ideas will help you connect and play as you set this Valentine’s Day apart from any other date night.
- Alternate notes every hour. Be creative. Chat via text, video, over the phone, face to face, on a mirror, with chalk on the driveway. Use different categories for the notes: sexy, flirty, romantic, funny, silly, memorable, thankful, adoring, etc.
- Homemade Couple’s Selfie Photo Shoot. Jazz it up with the wardrobe. Have multiple wardrobe changes: nightwear, 70s wear, athletic wear, beachwear, warrior outfits, superheroes, etc.
- As a couple, shower someone with love who may not be feelin’ it right now. Write a letter, send flowers, spend time with them, tell stories, and listen to their stories. Your love for each other will grow as you share it with others.
- Re-enact some of your favorite romantic movie scenes. Think Titanic, The Notebook, Dirty Dancing, Jerry Maguire: “You complete me!” Check out YouTube’s Top 20 Most Rewatched Scenes in Romance Movies for ideas. You can even find the screenplay for some of your favorite movies. (Pics or it didn’t happen!)
- Stick romantic Post-it notes on candy that your special someone likes and hide them all over the place. Put them in drawers, cars, kitchen cabinets, bathrooms—anywhere your Valentine might go. They’ll be finding them for days. (Hershey Nuggets work great for chocolate-lovers.)
- Dinner and a Trip Around the World…Virtually. Create a themed meal. Decide “where” you want to go to celebrate, then enjoy the sights and sounds from all over the world without leaving your living room.
- Re-create a meaningful meal you’ve had, or create a new experience. For instance, remember what you ate on your first date? What would you want if you were in Italy? With the internet, you can look up any recipe and make it happen. Share the meal by candlelight or lay out a blanket and make it a picnic.
- Create anticipation. The day before, choose not to see each other. Use that time to create suspense for the next day. Leave notes in unexpected places. Send cryptic messages or deliver a message through a friend. Put a note on their windshield or surprise them with a video/audio message teaser. See how much excitement you can build for each other.
- Write a romantic love story about your relationship (fact or fiction). It may be full of fantasy against the backdrop of common interests like Game of Thrones or Star Wars. Write it, tell it, or record it—but have FUN with it!
- Pick from First Things First’s Do It Yourself (DIY) date nights for a fun, unexpected adventure that’s already planned out for you. It’s. So. Easy!
Though you love your significant other every day (DUH!), go the extra mile this Valentine’s Day and show your special someone how much you love, respect, and value them with these creative ways to celebrate. With just a tiny bit of prep, you can take your relationship up a notch and grow the love you feel for each other.
Related Resources:
- *Bonus: First Things First also offers Virtual Date Night Replays for more creative date nights to celebrate Valentine’s Day together.*
- 5 Dates Every Couple Must Do Before the Big Day
- Your Step-by-Step Guide to Healthy Relationships
- 5 Ways to Have More Fun in Your Life
DIY Date Night | Driving Ms. Date Night
Time for a last-minute date night! Not sure if you want to stay in or go out? With this date night, you get the best of both worlds! Almost the entire date night takes place in the car, so you can get out of the house without going anywhere with lines or crowds. Check it out!
Supplies:
- A packed picnic (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks, Dessert… It’s totally up to you!)
- A blindfold
- A full tank of gas (unless you want a good story for later!)
- A sense of direction (optional)
Instructions:
This date night is super simple in concept, but you can make it as fun as you want! Here’s how it works.
- Pack a picnic together! This can be as simple or intricate as you would like it to be. Charcuterie board? Go for it. Pick up some snacks and fun drinks on your way? That’s totally fine. Just be sure to grab some pillows and blankets, too!
- Choose who will be the driver first. The other person puts the blindfold on!
- The driver gets to choose the destination, but don’t tell your partner!
- Drive to the chosen destination (you might want to take a different route than normal).
- The blindfolded person then has to guess where you ended up!
- If they get it right, take your picnic and have your date night at that spot.
- If they get it wrong, switch places! The person that was blindfolded gets to choose the next destination, and the previous driver has to be blindfolded and guess where you end up.
- Keep going until one of you guesses the right location! Then pull out that picnic and enjoy the evening together.
- Use the conversation starters below to turn this date night into a memory to last forever!
Conversation Starters:
- If you had to go a week without your phone, what would you miss most about it?
- What was your first impression of me? What kind of person did you think I was?
- If I let you dress me, what would I wear on our next date night?
- What do you think is your best physical feature?
- Would you rather have to always use chopsticks or a spoon?
- What would you do with one week to do anything, all expenses paid?
- Do you see any signs of aging in yourself?
- What are 5 things you’re thankful for?
- Is there an ideal type of party to you?
- If you had to be famous for something, what would you want it to be?
- When’s the last time you cried?
- What’s one thing you wish you were really good at?
- Which board game is your least favorite?
- If you could get away with a crime, would you? What would it be?
- What are two things you’d do if you woke up totally invisible?
- How many slices of pizza are you capable of eating?
- What fashion trend do you wish would come back?
- Would you rather be a hobbit or an elf for 24 hours (costumes included)?
- What’s one thing that men/women do that grosses you out?
- What is the perfect sandwich to you?
