Adding a bit of imagination can make a great first impression when meeting up, and make your date feel special and valued, too. The same effort goes a long way when dating in the long term too, but effort can be simple – maybe preparing a dinner from scratch together or baking something you can enjoy on a walk. Here are some suggestions for date ideas with imagination.

Try alphabet dating

Alphabet dating is a great way of refreshing longevity within a relationship, or keep regular first dates interesting. Choose a letter from the alphabet and create a date around that letter. For example, why not try: A) Apple picking, B) Bowling, C) Cycling, canoeing or cook a dish you’ve never cooked before, D) Go dancing or have a dance lesson, E) Escape room, F) Funfair or fishing G) Go-karting, H) Horse riding, and on until you reach the end of the alphabet and try to think of something other than the zoo!

It doesn’t have to be costly. You can tailor each to according to your budget and your location, and vary them depending on the occasion. Once you reach the end you can start at A again!

Another version of alphabet dating would be to date according to places with different letters – maybe your initials or the day of the week you’re meeting. Get a map of your local area or slightly further afield and explore new areas or places by finding a somewhere beginning with a different letter on the map. You can then find new local footpaths, new ice cream parlours, amazing views, markets and picnic spots. Enjoy the exploration, enjoy the local cafes, galleries, shops and sights and enjoy the conversations that ensue and enjoy getting to know each other better.

Look for the weird and wacky

Find the fun to find the spark, have a laugh and let yourself enjoy each other’s company in weird and wonderful places. Dating can bring a lot of laughter and joy if embraced fully and you embrace some date ideas with imagination. Perhaps you live within dating distanced of some of the wackiest museums – I once went on a date to a taxidermy museum – or there are museums celebrating subjects as specific as dog collars, potatoes, toilet seats, fire and teapots. If it can be collected or studied in detail, someone somewhere will have done it!

Some museums and art galleries are free and can be a catalyst for conversation. Look for local exhibitions and seasonal events. If there’s nothing local to you, look to see if you can download a treasure hunt for a place online and explore that way too, whilst finding out fun facts and looking for ‘treasure’.

If you can’t visit somewhere in person, try an online visit. There are immersive experiences linked with film franchises that are multisensory that can be a fun way of enjoying a different type of date. Others are connected to food, with themed afternoon teas, or dining experiences connected to a certain film or book. These can be unusual and fun ways of doing something a bit more outside the box.

Team work

Doing something together creates a bond as you have to work together as a team. Maybe try an escape room to challenge your skills, or a cookery class, art class or pottery painting to make something together. You’ll get to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and be able to champion and help each other. If you work well together figuring out challenges, or creating something new together, then you know that bodes well for the future.

Put God at the centre

The simplest and most effective way to date is to keep God at the centre. You could go on a prayer walk, choose a book of the Bible to explore together, or even put aside time together to listen to sermons – this can still be an spiritually intimate date that will bring up a lot of conversation starters. As your relationship develops in the early stages, you want to make sure that you are spiritually compatible and keeping God at the centre as you date is one way to ensure this.

Get physical!

Perhaps you’ve had too many dinner or drinks dates and want something a little more energetic. If you’re able, why not get up and get active! Paint balling, dance classes, playing a sport like tennis or ping pong together are all great examples of an active date. Make sure you warn your date beforehand to be prepared and check what they’re comfortable with, but, if planned well, these sorts of dates can be fun and a bit out of the ordinary.

Start thinking of some date ideas with imagination now! Planning ahead can be helpful too. If you are stuck for ideas, you could make yourself a date jar for future occasions. This can work when you are single and looking to impress with a great date suggestion, or when in a relationship. Fill it with places you’d like to do and things that you want to do, (or that you both want to do if in a relationship) from the silly to the sincere, and when it’s time for a date then pull an idea out of the jar. You won’t end up doing the same thing over again, but it will be kept fresh and alive.

Embrace the different ways of dating, keep it fresh and the rut that you may feel like you are in will lift. You may even find a new hobby from this!

What are your favourite date ideas with imagination?

Find lots more fun and inspiring date ideas here