As a relationship coach with over 15 years of experience counseling young couples, I understand the excitement and anxiety that comes with going on a first date as a teenager. I’ve helped countless teens plan safe, affordable, and creative dates that allow them to get to know each other better.
In this blog post, I’ll share 21 of my favorite first date ideas for teens, along with tips for making the most out of your special time together.
Why First Dates Matter
That first date sets the tone for your new relationship. It’s your chance to make a great first impression and see if you have a connection worth pursuing.
While you don’t have to plan anything too extravagant, putting some thought into that initial outing shows that you respect and care for your date. It also provides opportunities for conversation so you can learn more about each other’s interests, values, senses of humor, and compatibility.
If that first date goes well, it will give you beautiful memories you can look back on fondly in the future. And if you eventually end up in a long-term relationship, you’ll always remember the magical beginning.
Tips for Planning the Perfect First Date
Here are my top tips for teens planning first dates:
Keep it Local and Affordable
As a teen, you likely have limited funds and transportation options. That’s why I recommend keeping first dates local and affordable. Splurging on pricier activities can cause extra stress. Focus instead on having fun, casual quality time together within your budget.
Pick an Activity You Both Enjoy
The activity itself matters far less than having the opportunity to interact and get to know each other. Prior to the date, discuss your interests so you can choose something you’ll both enjoy, be it mini-golfing, checking out a thrift store, or watching a game. Sharing an experience creates common ground for conversation.
Be Your Authentic Self
Resist the temptation to pretend you enjoy something you don’t or agree with all your date’s opinions. Healthy relationships are built on honesty and open communication, so don’t be afraid to share your true thoughts, beliefs, likes and dislikes. If this person doesn’t appreciate the real you, then they aren’t the right match long-term.
Focus on Building Trust
Above all, use this first date to start establishing a sense of comfort and trust with each other. Show genuine interest when your date is speaking. Make eye contact and give them your full attention rather than staring at your phone. Open up and share things about yourself as well to reciprocate vulnerability.
21 Fun First Date Ideas for Teens
Here are some of my favorite first date suggestions for teenage couples on a budget:
1. Meet at a Cafe or Local Restaurant
Sitting down over coffee, milkshakes, or a bite to eat provides plenty of chances for conversation. Consider spots with fun atmospheres or student discounts. You can always go for a walk afterward if you want to continue hanging out.
2. Check Out the Arcade
Playing games side-by-side like skee ball, air hockey, basketball, or Dance Dance Revolution gives you an activity to bond over as you get to know each other. See who dominates certain games or jokingly compete for bragging rights. Arcades offer affordable entertainment, often with prize opportunities.
3. Take a Stroll Around Your Neighborhood
Casually walking together creates space for talking that feels more natural and less forced than just sitting across from each other. Bring your pet dog along if you have one for added fun. Explore side roads or check out neighborhood parks.
4. Visit a Thrift Store or Consignment Shop
Secondhand and vintage stores make interactive, inexpensive date spots. Have fun rummaging the racks together trying on silly outfits or seeing who can find the most unique item. This provides laughs while sticking to a teen budget.
5. Cook or Bake Something Together
Making meals jointly fosters teamwork and gives you an end result you can enjoy together. Cook favorite recipes or get creative trying something new.Bake cookies and share with family and friends after. You’ll bond over mixing ingredients, waiting for dishes to bake or chill, and of course tasting the final products.
6. Attend a School Event or Local Game
Your school likely offers various affordable events like dances, plays, talent shows, or sports games. Support your peers at one of these events while spending time with your date. The shared experience gives you something easy to chat about.
7. Have a Living Room Picnic
Recreate the nostalgia of childhood indoor picnics with all the fixings. Make or order finger sandwiches and snacks, spread out a cozy blanket on the floor, create placemats by coloring paper, and use fun drinking glasses. Play music in the background for ambiance. This offers privacy to talk and be yourselves.
8. Stargaze Together
At night, cuddle up with blankets in your backyard, at the park, or overlooking the city lights. Stargaze using apps to identify constellations while chatting about dreams, life’s mysteries, or making silly pictures by connecting stars. This romantic activity fosters deep conversation and closeness while exposing you to nature’s beauty.
9. Check Out a Local Band or Musician
Attending small, affordable concerts together allows you to discover new-to-you performers. Dance, sing along if you know words, or sway to slower songs. Seeing live music with your date creates shared memories and introduces you to each other’s musical tastes.
10. Volunteer Together
Walk dogs at the animal shelter, serve meals at a soup kitchen, help sort donations at the food bank, or join local clean-up efforts. Giving back side-by-side lets you see each other’s kindness while supporting meaningful causes. Discuss your desire to help others or lessons learned. Volunteering often costs nothing and does immense good.
11. Visit a Museum or Gallery on Free or Discounted Day
Many museums and galleries offer free admission days or student discounts. Wandering exhibits gives you shared topics to analyze and chat about. See which pieces stand out to each of you and what impressions they leave. If crowds overwhelm you, go on off-peak times so you can take your time.
12. Check Out a Local Farmers Market
Wander the booths sampling fresh produce, evaluating crafts or artwork, listening to live musicians, and snacking on tasty treats. Support small businesses while exploring offerings you can’t find elsewhere. Try new foods together or take ingredients home to incorporate into a recipe you cook jointly.
13. Study Together at the Library
If you have papers due or tests coming up, invite your date to study. Quiz each other, discuss challenging concepts, or research interesting tangents that arise. Then take occasional breaks to chat, stretch your legs, or grab a snack. You’ll leave feeling closer and less stressed about academics.
14. Play Frisbee Golf
All you need are discs and knowledge of local frisbee golf courses. Take turns trying to complete each hole in the fewest possible throws, encouraging one another when shots go awry. Being outdoors staying active provides a change of pace while you continue getting to know each other better.
15. Check Out a Unique Cafe
In many cities, you can now find cat, dog, owl, reptile, meerkat, alpaca, or goat cafes. These interactive establishments allow you to enjoy your coffee or snack while petting and observing animals up close. The unique concept makes for interesting and amusing conversation.
16. Rent Tandem Bikes
Riding bikes together instead of separately keeps you literally on the same page, enabling you to chat while cruising. Laugh through awkward starts and stops as you figure out rhythm and coordination. Bike to a park, ice cream shop, or restaurant to extend the date affordably.
17. Visit a Haunted House
Activities eliciting excitement and thrills like haunted houses get your adrenaline going, causing you to bond through shared exhilaration and fear. Instinctually grab each other’s hands when spooked or hold one another if someone needs reassurance. Enjoy the silliness when you both get scared over something harmless.
18. Check Out a Botanical Garden or Conservatory
Many botanical gardens and conservatories allow students in for free or reduced rates. Escape cold weather strolling among lush greenery and flowering plants from around the world. Gorgeous scenery sets a relaxing mood as you meander peacefully side-by-side, stopping to admire particularly exceptional specimens.
19. Head to a Trampoline Park
Take advantage of giant connected trampolines and foam pits at indoor parkour playgrounds. Jump solo showing off your best tricks or hold hands double bouncing together. These active playgrounds offer cardio workouts disguised as entertainment, mixing fun with fitness.
20. Create Vision Boards
Craft inspirational vision boards together expressing hopes, dreams and ideal futures through cut out words and images. See artistic similarities and differences as you bring magazine clippings and printed pictures to life on poster board. Not only do you get to design together creatively, but you also gain insight into what motivates one another.
21. Check Local Event Listings
Your community likely offers various free or low-cost activities like summer concert series, movie nights in the park, town festivals, street fairs, and seasonal events. Browse local event listings for ideas, then choose something timely that aligns with your mutual interests. Trying new activities side-by-side builds fond memories.
Make the Most of Your Special Time Together
While extravagant dates work for some, simple shared activities allowing conversation and added insight into each other tend to make the best first dates.
Focus less on spending lots of money or intensive planning. Instead, pick something fun you’ll both enjoy, be your genuine selves, and see where things go.
Here’s to hoping that first date leads to many more fond adventures together!