Date Night Tips from Camp

Family camp Date Night is an incredible thing—a nice, private dinner for mom and dad while the kids are having a blast with their counselors! Those nights allow couples to take a deep breath and enjoy some intentional time together. Even though we ALL wish camp was every week of the year (I mean, the dream), the things that make Date Night great at camp can still happen during the rest of the year if you plan for it! 

So, what makes Date Night at camp so special? And how in the world do you implement those ideas in real life? 

Plan it out! Wouldn’t it be nice to just be told what your date night details are each week?! Yes it would! However, the further out you can plan date nights and nail down the details, the more it will feel like it’s all been set up for you! Try to not make it a spur of the moment decision if you can help it… show your spouse you care enough to think it through. Put those dates on the calendar. (And all the wives said “amen!”)

NO KIDS ALLOWED. Yep, we said it! Family dinners are important for family unity and stability, but date nights need to be kid-free if possible. At camp, you don’t have to worry at all what your kids are up to because they’re having a blast with their counselors! So, find an awesome list of babysitters that friends recommend and call them up. If paying for a babysitter is keeping you from regular date nights, find another family that can swap free babysitting with you! 

Come prepared with some intentional questions. A date is a time to connect and continue the process of getting to know your spouse on a deeper level. The best way to do that? Communication! Come prepared with questions of things you’d love to know about your spouse. Maybe it’s just highs and lows from their week, but it could be something deeper like what they are learning in their quiet times, their favorite memory of the last year, or something that they are struggling with at work. If the date revolves around a night at the movie theater or at a play, make sure that in the car on the way, you take the time to talk! Here are some suggested questions to get you started!

Bond over an activity. The ol’ dinner and a movie date might be your go-to, but every once in a while it’s fun to mix it up! It might be something as chill as doing a puzzle together or playing a board game at a coffee shop. It could be trying an activity that is new to the both of you… painting, riding a tandem bike, roller blading, baking, or taking dancing lessons—any of these can create an environment where each of you can let your hair down a little and laugh! This Scott Kedersha blog has a link to some great ideas! Whatever you choose, remember that “shared experience builds trust.” The activity itself could create some good conversations—especially when your differences come out. A disagreement on a date can even be an opportunity to work through deeper heart issues. If something doesn’t go according to plan on the date, don’t panic! Roll with it! It might bring you two closer. But have a back-up just in case!

Pray! Pray before the date, pray over dinner, pray for each other, pray whenever you feel led. Remember—there is a real enemy that hates marriages and wants to cause disunity in each one. And even more importantly, the Lord created marriage to reflect His Gospel, so it is a BIG deal to Him. So ask our all-powerful God to protect and bless your covenant! Plus, there is something very intimate about praying together. Make it a priority to pray together on your date.

Bonus tip: Go on a retreat or get-away at least once a year, if not more often. The time away will remind you of newlywed days and create lasting memories! 

As you’re planning out your date night, find great people to watch your kids, think through questions to ask your spouse, find a fun activity, and cover the date in prayer! It is all about time TOGETHER and focusing on your relationship! All these are what makes Date Night at camp so impactful and what can make your date at Olive Garden just as special!

Here are some other fun date ideas:

• Progressive dinner… go to different restaurants for each course and ask a different intentional question.
• Surprise half birthday date/party… they’ll never see it coming!
• Picnic in the park.
• Have different restaurants in a jar and pick one randomly… helps if you have a hard time deciding! (label them different colors for type of place – fancy, fast food, middle of the road, etc. Or have friends write down date night ideas that they love and recommend.)
• Find out when your spouse’s favorite band is playing near you and surprise them with concert tickets.
• Date night in a box subscriptions
• Night in: wait until kids are in bed and make a meal together, play a game, put together a puzzle, do a spa night at home, or put up a tent in your living room!
• Check out more date ideas in this blog from Prepare Enrich.

Save this graphic to your camera roll for easy access on date night!