Nervous butterflies in your stomach, agonizing over what to wear and jumping in to the unknown is what first dates are made of. Love them or hate them, there’s nothing like the experience of getting to know a potential partner, on that very first encounter.
If you tend to collapse into a bundle of nerves, the easiest way to rise above it, is to forget about awkward dinner conversation and simply have fun instead! How can you do that? With your own first date bucket list. Here’re our top ideas, to help you out of the dark corner and into the dating spotlight.
Go To A Wine Tasting
Follow a wine trail in the countryside or create your own wine tasting adventure at home, by each bringing different bottles to try. If you don’t like wine, visit atmospheric pubs to sample beer or spirit varieties. It’s not all about the alcohol either, though that’s a fun element, but more a journey into likes, dislikes and sensory pleasure, to heighten curiosity and romance.
Ride A Ferris Wheel
Choose to meet at a carnival, festival or theme park and take advantage of thrill rides and entertainment, to help you connect with each other. There’s something about being able to unleash your inner child, on a first date. It’s an endearing quality and cuts straight to the chase of who you are, rather than who you might pretend to be. Along the way, you’ll have so much fun the nerves will disappear into the background, so you can truly make the most of it.
Sing In A Karaoke Bar
Who doesn’t love belting out a favorite tune, to fully embrace a party vibe? Turn your first date into a party, by hitting a karaoke bar and totally letting your hair down. If one of you really can’t hold a note, it’ll be hilarious. If you can sing, you get to show off your talents. You’ll learn about each other’s taste in music, become comfortable with getting out of your comfort zone and hopefully partner up for a romantic duo in the process.
Take A Dance Lesson
Is there anything more romantic than dancing with someone you’re attracted to? Taking a dance lesson on a first date means you’ll feel comfortable getting close, with a teacher and other students learning alongside. Plus, you’ll learn a new skill together which goes a long way towards forming a bond. Try the tango, salsa or the Flamenco. If the up-close and personal styles are too much for you, have fun at a hip hop or acrobatics class instead.
Go On A Bike Ride
No matter where you live, it’s amazing what you notice on a push bike. Turn your first date into an exciting adventure by pretending to be tourists in your own town. Pack some snacks in a backpack and start by choosing different streets to explore. Deliberately try to get lost and don’t have an agenda about where you end up. This way, neither of you will have any idea of what’s ahead, with adds to the anticipation and fun of the first date experience. Don’t forget to go slow, so you notice new things in your area together, therefore creating your own, unique experiences.
Picnic On The Water
Whether you hire a canoe to drift on a lake, take a fast ride in a speed boat or idle down a river on a pontoon, there’s something about water that adds instant fun to a first date. Agree to pack a picnic, by one person bringing drinks and the other bringing snacks. There’ll be so much to do, see and experience that conversation will flow as effortlessly as the waves.
Attend A Comedy Show
Laughter really does bring out the best in us all, so give your first date the best chance possible, by meeting somewhere funny. Ideas include hitting a comedy show, playing games like Twister and dressing up in silly costumes to attend an event. When you can laugh all night together, you discover each other’s best sides and take the sting out of first date nerves.
Try Rock Climbing
If you both happen to be adventure-lovers, indoor or outdoor rock climbing is a fun bucket list activity to start your dating path. You can engage in friendly competition, show off your skills, admire theirs and challenge yourselves at the same time. Seeing how someone behaves in a challenging scenario is also a fast track to getting to know them.
Go Bowling Together :)
Bowling is one of those rare sports where you can talk as much as you play. It leads to friendly banter and encouragement, as you try to outdo each other’s scores. Choose a bowling alley with an array of games, like billiards and air-hockey, to really get into the spirit of fun. Chances are you’ll get a little bit addicted to the challenge and drop all your first date nerves, as you laugh together at the first gutter ball.
Cook Dinner Together
Rather than head to a restaurant and taking your chances on being able to connect in conversation immediately, plan to each bring ingredients and cook up a storm together in the kitchen. You don’t have to be a chef to create a wonderful meal and, you’ll have two minds instead of one to figure out a recipe. Most of us simply love food, so you’ll be on common ground from the beginning, not to mention having endless opportunities for romantic moments as you whip up your masterpiece.