Virtual Date Ideas

By Teen Health Source Volunteer

Dating when you can’t be in the same place can be really hard! This article covers some possible ideas for things you can do on virtual dates. Whether you’re in different cities or a pandemic lockdown, been together a long time or just started dating, hopefully there’s something here for you to try!

Virtual Movie Night!

Watching movies together is a classic date that requires nothing but you, a movie, and your partner. Things like “Teleparty” allow for couples to watch movies together online. So, what do you need? A subscription to a movie-streaming service* and an internet connection. That’s it. Easy right? This is a great way to spend time together in a relaxed, low pressure way. Add Teleparty to your chrome extensions and binge away. 

Tip: Pick a movie neither of you has watched or schedule a weekly binge session. Want to build an even deeper connection? Watch each other’s favourite movies. (Yes, even if you’re a romance lover and they adore action movies, the joy you get from hearing each other talk about your favourite movies and the deeper connection you build will most certainly make up for it.) 

*Teleparty is compatible with Netflix, Disney+, Hulu and HBO. 

Go on a Dinner Date 

A romantic dinner date is one of the most popular choices for first dates. It’s amazing in all aspects: it’s fun, it fills your stomach and you can get to know your partner better by having all kinds of conversations. You can do this over video chat or just talking on the phone, whatever you’re more comfortable with.

Tip: Increase the connection by making the same recipe, or by ordering takeout from the same restaurant. If you’re making food, you can send each other photos to help build anticipation. Also, consider dressing up fancy to make it feel really special.

Help Each Other Out with Homework

How do you finish homework faster and have fun at the same time? By doing it with your partner. Why not giggle and laugh while doing work with your partner? It makes it so much more fun and gets the job done quicker. Besides, you may even get to know them better: What kind of work are they doing? How do they problem solve?

And you don’t necessarily need to help each other. Sometimes it’s just nice to have a virtual study date together, where you open up a video chat or stay on speaker phone while you both get your own stuff done. Low-key hangouts can still help people feel connected.

NOTE

You can make the time feel more special by making study music playlists for each other to listen to so you can help stay focused.

Do a Virtual Room Tour 

Our bedrooms are the windows to the soul. They reflect a great deal of our personality, especially if you’ve had the same bedroom all your life. Showing off your bedrooms each other over video chat can be an intimate activity, and it can also be a chance for you to ask each other questions about things that you have on display that you maybe wouldn’t have thought about mentioning in regular conversation (like stuffed toys, posters, or souvenirs).

Activities. Activities? Activities!

Often we feel like the only option is to talk on virtual dates, but there is an endless amount of stuff to do! Here’s a quick list of activities you can try:

• Try a board game! Some co-op games are available online, but you can also get real board games (like Monopoly or something) and play together that way.
• Plan a vacation together! Even if it’s just a dream vacation, this can be a fun way to share your interests. Look up places you’d want to stay, or locations you’d want to visit on Google Maps!
• Have a drawing contest! Nothing wrong with having some lighthearted competition. Again, you can find drawing apps online, or you can just use your own pencils and pads of paper, and then show each other what you create. Are you brave enough to do portraits of each other?
• Do a Yoga/Workout together! You can sign up for classes with an instructor or just do ones you find on YouTube. Some might not be comfortable or close enough to share their sweaty, tired game face, but this is perfect for those who are! A great way to boost your energy levels too!

TIP

No matter what activities you want to try, it’s generally helps to plan and schedule things in advance. It can be hard to be spontaneous on more involved activities. Plus, it’s nice just to make dedicated time for each other in your calendars. Also, even if you’ve planned something, it’s good to switch up to less involved things if people have had a tiring day or just aren’t in the mood.

Even though these dates are at home, there’s still lots of ways to get out of your comfort zone and do some unique activities. But at the same time, it’s totally understandable if virtual dates just aren’t your thing. Again, whether it’s a long-distance relationship or just trying to date during a pandemic, building a connection over virtual dates can be hard and maybe not something everyone wants to put time and scheduling into on top of all the other stresses people have.

Let us know if you have any other virtual date ideas by emailing us at teenhealthsource@ppt.on.ca and we can add them to our list!

Resources: 

• WebMD: Dating During the Pandemic: Online and Restless 
• Will Cornell Medicine: Maintaining and Strengthening Relationships While Social Distancing 
• them.: 21 Quarantine Date Ideas for Friends, Partners, and First Dates

If you have questions about this topic, feel free to contact one of our peer educators. [Link]

Last Updated: May 2021