Great Group Dates

If you’ve tried to coordinate a great group date before, you know a little creativity is essential. Here are some ideas you can try if your creative juices are running low.

Bon voyage! Take a vacation by having a culture night where you eat food from and learn about another area of the world.
If the weather’s good, head outdoors for a hike or nature walk. Try building your own kites. Playing outdoor games is fun for big groups.
If the weather’s bad, you can bring the outdoors inside! Hang cutout stars from the ceiling, and gather all the plants in your house. Play board games while you cook tinfoil dinners in the oven.
Journey back to childhood by reading each other children’s books at a library. You could bring your little brothers and sisters along to liven things up. But remember to be respectful and keep the noise down.
It’s not showing off to teach each other things you’re good at. Take turns being the teacher and the student. Maybe you’re great at fly-fishing or your date loves racquetball.
Finding opportunities to serve is easy. You could visit a rest home or wash someone’s car.
Learn how to swing, ballroom, or country dance, and then have a dance at an appropriate place or just at your own home.
For something frugal, fancy, and fun, have a formal dinner in the park instead of going to an expensive restaurant.
Visiting a local art or history museum makes a great educational date and is a better opportunity for conversation than sitting through a movie. Afterwards, create your own works of art by finger painting or making collages.
Try cooking or baking your favorite foods together. If your creations turn out edible, share them with family and neighbors. Bon appétit!
Invite your date to activities with your family. This is more fun than it sounds, and seeing how a date interacts with your parents and siblings can tell you a lot about him or her.
Borrow a video camera and make a movie with props you find around the house. If there is a big group, divide up to make different movies and have an awards ceremony after viewing them all.

Photography by John Luke