Date Night Gift

 I thought about monetizing this one- putting the stuff up on etsy with my printables. And maybe I will eventually, but we'll see.

The idea of this one is that you have a pre-planned date for every month of the year. You can do this with your spouse if you'd like, but I encourage it for the kids. Each kid should have a set of these. How you want to divvy it up is up to you.

If you are a single parent, then you would have a date with each kid each month.

If you are in a two parent home, you can take turns (maybe parent 1 takes the odd months and parent 2 takes the even, or if you have lots of kids maybe Mom has the boys on odd months and the girls on even months and Dad does the opposite). Maybe a couple times a year both parents can attend (birthday month, maybe?).

I recommend having a set date each month for that kid. Usually the day of their birthday, but that doesn't always work out. Maybe instead, flexible dates like, "first Friday of the month" for kid A, "second Saturday of the month" for kid B, etc.

What you will need:

Planning sheet (you'll notice it has 14 spots- two are backup) Right click, save as if you want to use mine.

Writing utensils

Manilla Folders (12 per kid)

Printouts or your own artwork

Date Outlines (the pretty much look like this)

"The Rest"

The first date is the planning date. Before you begin this, have your rules set. When we did this the first time, we said that only 2 dates could cost more than $10. Two had to be completely free. One date had to be outside. One date had to serve someone else. One had to be a getting to know you date.... I don't remember the rest- it was YEARS ago!

Prepare the manilla envelopes so that the kid's name and the month is on each one. You can use printables or do your own artwork or have your kiddo help with this part.

Have a list of ideas before you begin. You'll want to make sure they are age appropriate for each child. Your 14 year old probably isn't going to want to make macaroni noodle necklaces with you. Remember in the preparing of these that you're supposed to be enjoying the date, too. So if you absolutely detest the feel of grass on your skin, don't suggest rolling down the hills at the park. Here's a starter list of ideas for you, but do NOT feel confined to these, nor should you feel like you have to put all (or any!) of these on your list:

Preschool:
Playdoh Mats
Food Jewelry
Animal Charades
Sidewalk Chalk

Going to the Park
McDonald's Playplace
ABC Scavenger Hunt
Zoo
About Me Pages
Photo Memories (esp if they are digital)/Making a chatbook
Splash Pad
Baking/Cooking
Handprint Art (and fingerprint art)
Science Experiments
Games (Candyland, Jenga, Etc)
Building (Duplos, regular blocks, etc)
Making a Fort
Themed Movie Night (please don't be boring and just watch a movie)
Library (there are games you can play here, or go on one of their activity nights, or plan on doing the activities they have out for kids)
Whole House Cars (masking tape roads all over the house)
Cabelas/REI
Getting dessert only at a restaurant

Sensory Activities

Blowing Bubbles

Bug Hunt

School Aged Kids:

Getting dessert only at a restaurant

Water Balloon Fight

Building a Snowman

Baking/Cooking

Games

About Me

Walk down Memory Lane

Hike

Swimming

Squirt Gun Art

Park

Cardboard Boxes (totally open ended)

Science Experiments

Themed Movie Night (same rules as every other age)

Library

Would You Rather

20 Questions

Yoga

Dance Party

Make instruments

I Spy

Fly Kites

Preteens:

Writing Games

Visit a Garden Center

Loving animals at the shelter (do NOT come home with a new pet without the other parents permission)

Make a YouTube or TikTok video

Workout Buddies

Wedding Plans (I'm not pushing kids to get married young, but you would be amazed at how much you can learn about your kid when you let them show you what they find beautiful, exciting, etc). This one just needs Pinterest, pretty much.

Make Slime 

Make jewelry

Dance Party

Arcade

Bake/Cook

Themed movie night

Scavenger hunt 

Games

Jump Rope/Hopscotch

Sidewalk Chalk Art

Learn a hand clap 

Mad Libs 

Make a fairy garden

Make Smores

Teens:

Arcade

Hike

Plant a garden

Bake/Cook

Themed movie night

Decades Date (80s- roller skating, wearing neon, etc. 90s- roller BLADING, going to the mall, etec)

photo shoot

scavenger hunt

YouTube game (finish the lyrics, try not to laugh, trivia)

Make a Playlist (yes, it will take hours)

Games

Video Games

Create a recipe book

Polymer clay

Visit a museum

Go to a concert (free ones in the park)

Find an online tour of your city or one near you

Have a budget and shop for each other

Serve food to the homeless

Learn a TikTok dance

Family History

Let your kid teach you about something they are passionate about

Hang out at a campsite (roast stuff, tell stories, play card games)

Work Out Competition

Plan their dream room

"Life Plan"

Legos

Please come up with your own as well (I'd LOVE if you shared them here!!).

Once you've got your lists, your envelopes, your planning sheet and your kid, it's time to start.

Review the rules and let them pick which thing should go on which month. You may need to remind them that sidewalk chalk will be easier in June than January, etc. Or if there's a concert you are taking them to, make sure that is in the correct month. Once you've got your grand plan with the kid done, there is more for you to do. Depending on the kid's age and attention span, you can have them keep helping or you can do this part on your own. They can help you decorate the envelopes now, too, if you'd like.

You need to decide now what. supplies you'll need for each of the activities planned. Decide if you want to purchase all supplies ahead of time, have gift cards for them, or cash to purchase the items. If they are items you already have, get them now so they don't get lost (exceptions being like, legos or something that you use many times).

The rest is part of the gift.

-Fill out the specific date night outline for each date. 

-Gather your materials. If they don't fit in the envelope and you've decided not to do gift cards/cash, then put that month's supplies in a box and mark it appropriately. Make a note in your outline where you put the box, because you wont remember when it's time, I promise. Don't put gathering the items off. This is why we failed before. We inevitable couldn't afford the things we wanted to do. Buy the tickets, get the gift cards, withdraw the cash- whatever. The point is to take all the prep work out of what your'e doing. 

-Schedule the dates in your calendar. Get the time off work if needed. If there are conflicting things, adjust the dates. Have a contingency plan with your kid for if something comes up that conflicts with the date (maybe backup dates?)

-Make the invitations. Once you have all 12 invitations, mark in your calendar a week before each date and write in the calendar where you put the invitation. Be sure to give the correct invitation out for that upcoming date.

-Put all the envelopes together and wrap them however you'd like. Have some kind of trinket or something that they'll get to keep also, because you will be in charge of the envelopes. Put them someplace safe. And tell your kid where that is. And your spouse. And your best friend in a searchable Facebook Messenger chat. And write it in your calendar.

-Have fun!! Try to take photos during your dates so you can maybe make them a chatbook or something at the end to commemorate the good year you've had.

As an example, let's say that your 8 year old really wanted to go for a hike for their May date. In the manilla folder, you would have:

- a plan of where the hike would be 

- a game you'd play on your hike (or on your way to the hike if you'll be in the car for a bit)

- a note telling you where the box is that would have

    - bug spray

    - water bottles

    - a snack or gift card to purchase the snack (depending on how far away this date is)

    - a backpack in it. 

You'd have the date set aside on your calendar and be watching the weather (in case you need to adjust the dates). 

Let's say the date is scheduled for May 8th and the weather for that day looks good. You'd give your invitation to your kiddo around May 1st and glance over your needs, in case the bug spray and backpack got used elsewhere, giving you time to gather.

Then when May 8th rolls around- boom! You grab your gear, your kid, and go! 

Remember to take pics for keeping the memories!