Fun & Casual Date Ideas

During later stages of a relationship, fun and casual dates still have a place.

Once you've found someone you're eager to date, the next challenge is planning out the date itself. During the early stages of a relationship, the last thing you want is a boring or overly serious situation. Keep the backdrop simple, fun and casual, so that you and your date can focus on each other.

Lunch Dates

Just changing the time of day creates a more relaxed environment.

Dinner dates tend to be formal and romantic, and create a lot of pressure during early dating stages. For a nontraditional twist, invite your date out for lunch. Restaurants feature more casual menus, dress codes and price ranges for the lunch hour, and it's easy to fit a casual lunch into the middle of your day. Plus you get all the traditional benefits of conversation over your meals. Choose a location that appeals to both of you, whether an exotic new bistro or a neighborhood diner.

Sports Dates

Athletic events aren't typically considered romantic, which helps you and your date feel more at ease. Baseball games, football games and other sports venues offer the chance to be as loud and energetic as you like. Similar to watching a movie together, you have the chance to focus on something besides each other, taking the pressure off during potential awkward silences: but unlike a movie, it's also perfectly fine to chat during a sports game.

Group Dates

Double dating is a compromise between large groups and just the two of you.

Group settings aren't suitable for everybody -- you might want to avoid groups during very early dates while you're just getting to know each other. But having other people around not only gives your date a chance to casually meet your friends (and vice versa), it also lets you both interact with other people, placing less stress on you. Picnics are casual and fun settings, and the relaxed setting makes it easy for you two to bow out early.

Creative Dates

If you're interested in someone but still testing the waters, try an excursion that gives you chance to chat and socialize together, without announcing itself as a traditional and official date. Try shopping together, for a casual and fun item such as a gift for a mutual friend or a coworker's birthday. If you both own dogs, invite your date to join you at a dog park or for a midday walk around the neighborhood.

References

• Kiss Me Goodnight: Casual Date Ideas - Get To Know Each Other
• Third Age: Perfect First-Date Ideas
• BYG Publishing: Great Dating Ideas for Teenagers