Date Night Ideas: How Laughter Can Strengthen Your Bond

Are you ready for your week of waffle-inspired date nights?

Yes, yes, you heard us right. This week, we bring you three waffle-inspired date nights that are not "breakfast in bed".

On Monday, we talked about how laughter can strengthen your relationship by building your bond through resilience, conflict resolution, joy, and intimacy.

With the date ideas below, we are emphasizing those topics as well. So, waffle you waiting for? Let's get on to some date night ideas! 🥞🙌

Did you miss the article about how laughter can help your heart? Click below to read.

DATE NIGHT IN IDEA: BELGIAN WAFFLE BRUNCH

What to do: On your next free weekend morning, plan a romantic brunch for the two of you. Spend some time making your own waffles (pancakes work too) with at least three toppings to choose from.

However, your challenge is not to just make any type of waffle. You must come up with your very own, super-secret waffle recipe based on flavors that are significant to your relationship.

Together, think of some off-the-wall waffle flavors you can make. Horchata waffles? Sweet and spicy waffles? Guava waffles? Bacon-stuffed waffles?

Try and find a flavor that is somehow connected to your relationship either by an event from the past or maybe a flavor that represents a certain area of your relationship. Once you develop the flavor, research some different ways to incorporate that flavor into your waffle mix. Try not to look at other people's recipes if you can. The goal of this challenge is for you both to work together.

Lastly, make sure you have at least three toppings that will compliment your special waffle recipe!

When you get ready to have your brunch, try and find a quiet place outside on the porch or in the backyard. Enjoy your waffle brunch together, talking and spending some quality time with one another.

Why are we doing this? This activity has two parts to it, each offering a different way to strengthen your relationship. The first is deciding the flavor and how to create a recipe for your very own waffle. It requires interaction, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making. Sure, picking a weird waffle recipe isn't the direst of situations, but the concept of conflict resolution remains. You still must work together to solve the waffle problem.

Secondly, creating an intimate setting to enjoy your brunch can help strengthen your bond. It's crucial to dedicate quiet time together, away from the world of distractions we see every day. Taking a moment every once in a while to just be with each other can help keep that intimacy alive and keep you connected to your partner.

DATE NIGHT OUT IDEA: WAFFLE CONE CONCOCTION

What to do: This activity is similar to the first in that it will require you both to work together and resolve some conflict (and it's waffle-related), but a new factor we are going to add is time and decision-making.

Find an evening this week to get ice cream with your partner. In your head or on a piece of paper, list three general flavors (chocolate, coffee, vanilla, cookie). Don't be too specific with your flavors. Just choose general ones. We will explain in a second.

Secondly, write down or think of three toppings for ice cream. Again, be general (fruit, chocolate candy, chocolate sauce, gummy candy).

Do not discuss these flavors and toppings with your partner. When you get to the ice cream place, your goal is to decide on two flavors of ice cream and two different toppings to put in your single waffle cone bowl that you will be sharing.

Here is where the true challenge starts. You only have 5 minutes to decide, and your personal objective is to get as many of the flavors/toppings you thought of prior to your mutual choice without telling your partner what is on your list.

To do this, you will have to communicate, offer suggestions, and compromise with your partner. If none of your choices are represented, how will you communicate or compromise with your partner to switch one of the flavors?

This challenge may be easier if you both have the same exact tastes in ice cream or a lot more challenging if you have completely opposite tastes. Either way, you'll surely end up with the most complicated process to pick ice cream ever!

Also, if you are on lockdown or unable to go to an ice cream parlor, you can do this same activity with ingredients at the store or at home (and then have one person go and get the ingredients).

Why are we doing this? On Monday, we talked about how laughter can help ease the tension that might arise when resolving conflict. In this challenge, we wanted to bring a fun scenario along with the idea of problem-solving, testing your communication and teamwork skills. You never thought picking out a waffle cone bowl full of ice cream would be so crucial to helping you strengthen your relationship, huh!

$5 DATE NIGHT IDEA: WAFFLE JUGGLING

What to do: With your $5, go to the store and buy six apples and a box of frozen waffles.

Find a night in the next week to spend together, learning how to juggle. You can use YouTube videos (like THIS ONE). The objective is to get good enough to juggle without stopping or dropping an apple for five whole seconds.

If you or your partner already know how to juggle, push the limits. See if you can juggle for 30 seconds or a minute.

Once you can do this successfully, your challenge is to do the same thing with three frozen waffles (which can be a lot more difficult).

Your final challenge, to celebrate your night of juggling, is to create a waffle-inspired dinner for the two of you. It can be breakfast for dinner, or you can find some other different waffle combinations. Apparently, waffles and macaroni and cheese is a thing.

Why are we doing this? Resilience. If you have never juggled before in your life, it might be frustrating to learn. You'll need perseverance and patience and you will undoubtedly fail a few times. However, if you work together, powering through that struggle is not only possible, it can be rewarding to your relationship.

Throughout your life together, you will face many challenges and obstacles. Juggling frozen waffles is just the tip of the iceberg. To fight through those obstacles together, you will both need resilience, support, and teamwork.

Earlier in the week, we talked about how laughter can help keep you resilient because it lowers your stress level and keeps your mind and decision-making skills sharp. This activity emphasizes resilience and how you each can help support and encourage each other through a given problem.