When dating includes someone with hearing loss, opt for venues that are quieter. Give yourselves a little extra time if you’re heading into an environment such as a bar or restaurant, so you can be relaxed about waiting to secure seating away from the kitchen or noisier tables. Don’t hesitate to ask a business owner to lower the volume of their music while you’re their patron. And low lighting is great for mood setting but it knocks the wind out of lip reading, so choose places that are well lit. Pay attention to speaking at a level that you’re certain your partner can actually hear, and enunciate as best possible. Make certain you’re not covering your mouth with your hands when you speak, and always face your date while speaking so lip reading is possible. If the shoes on the other foot, be bold enough to cue your date who might slip into one of these patterns unintentionally, they’ll appreciate it. It might take some reminders, but those habits will soon become second nature for them when in your company. (Note: Doing a group date? Remind everyone to speak one at a time for the sake of anyone who’s lip reading.) Lastly, if you’re both hearing impaired and wear implants, if you’re not already familiar with this next glitch… Just a heads up that laying down together or cuddling can result in some horrible feedback issues. Don’t let it submarine your chances to do either. Set aside those times while agreeing that the touch time is the priority rather than communicating any other way. One of you needs to power down. Take turns. Prioritizing those connecting moments physically is important.
  • Ever seen the show CASH CAB? It’s a game show all about people unexpectedly stepping into a cab run by a game show host, who spends time the driving them to their destination asking them multiple choice fact questions. Each answer earns them a reward. Each wrong response earns an X, three strikes and the game ends. And they have to answer all the questions before they reach their prior designated place of arrival in order to keep the prizes they earn. There are other dynamics, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Recreate the game all on your own. Put together a list, or even multiple lists depending on where you want the ride to take you. You can show up in a cab, Uber or Lyft, have them draw a card with a random mystery destination which matches one of your question lists, and the game is on! Have some kind of reward system set up ahead of time, a treat, choice of calling the shots on the date once you get to where ever you were headed, a kiss or ???
  • Create a Photo Scavenger Hunt. Draw up a list of 10 to 12 places all over your city, suburb, campus, or make one all within a mall/store. Whomever makes up the list, also gets to be the photographer. Use your smart phone or pick up a throw away camera. You can give specific things that must be found, or give clues so they have to guess what you were asking for. That adds an element of fun because you don’t give away whether it was the right guess or not until all photos have been checked off. For each correct and collected photo, they earn some sort of prize. You decide. How long your list is, as well as how far apart each scavenger idea that must be collected is, will dictate how many things can go on each list, or if BOTH of you are allowed to show up with a list. Your date, so your choice. Get creative!
  • Own a Nerf Gun? Set up a few boxes, bowls, canisters etc, around the room, and play Nerf Basket Ball, by shooting the bullets or balls into those containers. Are they the bullets with rubber plungers on the ends? Put up some bullseyes and score that way. Make it real obstacle course, and not only do BOTH of those (which means spending the date money on more than one Nerf guns) but go beyond setting up these others, and place some paper cups or toilet paper rolls standing up that must be knocked down. Time each other. Winner takes all.
  • Head to your favorite restaurant or coffee shop, and bring a deck of cards. Rather than playing Poker or Black Jack, build houses with them. It’s a fun challenge, especially if you’re going to try and eat at the same time. Will every eatery welcome this type of fun? Not so much. But those that will, tend to be more relaxed anyway, and that’s a plus to any date.
  • Wine tasting tours are expensive and not everyone wants to have the designated driver element. How about a Hot Chocolate tasting date? Or a natural soda hunt? Can you track down the best doughnut shops in your area? Locate the latest greatest flavors of Kombuchas? Which ice cream venue has the most mix-ins and topping choices? Tailor it to your tastes. Keep a list, and maybe share it on some social media page one of you keeps. Help your pals out by giving them a heads up on where to go on their next date.
  • Want to do something just to make the world a better place? It’s never a bad way to spend an hour or two. Grab a piece of paper, write YOU MATTER and we want you to know it. Have a great day, hope the shoe fits, Signed, then put your first names. Put several on the one sheet. Go copy off that paper, do as many as you want. Cut them into individual strips, then go slip the into shoes at your nearest large shoe store. Don’t be obvious, just look like your considering buying a pair. When people try them on, they’ll find your notes. Smiles will follow. And just like that, you’ve accomplished making the world a better place.
  • Head to a fresh produce department, and pick up one of each type of apple they carry, from sweet to tart. Add an Asian apple. If they have ripe ones, try a couple pears as well. Then grab a couple bags of caramels, (chocolate ones too if you can locate those.) and make some caramel apples. The different apples add totally different twists. If you don’t want the mess or work, just slice them and use the readymade caramel sauces and fudge ice cream toppings most stores carry, for dipping. A nice dessert and flavor circus either way.
  • Head to a mall or store that has clothing, and spend your time together trying to create “matching outfits.” Be ridiculous, or be extravagant. As long as each of you feel comfortable with pictures, make sure you document each one as you match by color, patterns, etc. by taking your photos together if that’s doable, to share on social media, or just keep for yourselves. Or, along those same lines as the last idea, buy cheap, hideous and outdated clothing at a thrift store and have that mini photo shoot. Before you leave the store, patronize them on some level, even if it’s just a pair of socks.
  • Build forts out of furniture, blankets or boxes and wage a paper airplane war. Or… Take it to the local park and see if you can get some kids involved or other couples out walking those paths. Leave no evidence behind.
  • Pick up at least a dozen glow sticks. Local dollar stores carry them year around. If they’re the super skinny kind or tiny, you’ll want more to make this idea brighter. You’ll also need 6 to 12 full, clear plastic water bottles. Activate the glow sticks, drop one or several in each bottle of water and screw the cap back on tight. You’re now set to play some rounds of glow in the dark blowing. Invite some friends over and make it a real tournament. Use a ball, or get creative about what you can roll in order to knock the bottles down.
  • Go visit as many people as you can in however much time you’ve set aside to hang out together, and turn as many things upside down as you can without them noticing. Pick up some chocolate candy Kisses before you travel around, and leave a small pile of those somewhere in your prank spot too.
  • Dress up like superheroes and deliver basic needs care packages to homeless people on the street.
  • Ever tried your hand at being a tour guide? Take turns showing each other your favorite parts of the city that you are in. It can be everything from your favorite spot for a drink, your favorite park, or your favorite tree! Get creative and show one another the parts of the city that the other might have been missing out on! Make sure to document the date like a tourist and take pictures at every place that you go to.
  • So we can’t give you the details of this “date” because for each couple, it will end up looking totally different. This one is called the $5 Challenge. Each of you gets one $5 dollar bill, and with that money, you have to decide what unique way to spend it, in order to make your date time create a fun memory. Will you head for something to eat? A store where $5 holds real potential? (Think: Dollar stores, thrift stores, Target, Walmart, Winco etc.) Dessert? Bus fare to just ride around with one another and people watch? A cab ride to drop you somewhere that leaves you with an arm in arm, walk back from where you caught it? (The cab won’t go terribly far on $5 as there’s always an initial fee just to catch it…) However you spend the whopping ten dollars in total, make it all about the joy of being allowed to just be in one another’s company. The only real rule, is that you CAN’T overspend…
  • Get your science side on for this one. We’ve included a great site to choose from here of ones we think are worth trying. But obviously, feel free to add to or create your own by hitting the search engine or asking friends who have kids what they’ve tried. Gather your supplies ahead of time, or use part of your date minutes to go wander a store and collect what you need together. Maybe each of you will just arrive at your designated kitchen table with a surprise experiment to do with the other. Either way… you may want to bring a tarp lol. https://www.education.com/science-fair/