• Objects of different shapes! You can use boxes, cans, sups, pens, scissors, and really anything else you can think of, that would cast a unique or cool shadow. 
• Paper, tape, toothpicks, etc (all optional). 
• A flashlight (or two, if you’re each doing it).  
• A flat surface and wall.

• I would search around the house/apartment for different things to use.
• You could also go to DI or a thrift store and get fun items for the art. 

• You could easily make it a competition and see who can make the best shadows.  
• You could pick a city that you both love, and try to recreate it via shadows. 
• You could give each other challenges. For example, “use this fork in your creation” or “make it look like 
• Another idea to shake it up would be to draw art and then use objects to cast shadows on it (see Shadowology by Vincent Bal).
• You could also make hand-shadow art.

• Learn how creative your date can be 
• Learn a bit more about a favorite place that he/she grew up in (or just likes)
• Have fun trying to make unique shapes

• I would advise you to tell your date to have at least 10-15 objects. Otherwise he/she might not feel like there’s enough objects to work with. 
• Starting with the hand shadows was a fun easy way to work up to the shadow art of making cities. 

• The cost of the supplies (ideally no more than $15-$20)
• The cost of shipping (ideally no more than $15)

• Depends entirely on the date idea that you’re going to do, but for sure a box to send your date idea in. Plus tape and the address. 

• Most of the places where you can send your package, you can also get the box. 
• Other places include grocery stores (like Walmart, Brolums, etc.) 

• If you can’t send the person you’re taking on the date something, you can also send the needed funds to buy it. For example, if it’s just too hard to send the paint, you can send $5 (cash or gift card) for him/her to go buy it themselves. Just know that if you’re sending it via an envelope, there’s the risk of it being lost or stolen. Another option is to simply Venmo the person the needed money. 
• If you’re trying to do something special for an anniversary or special occasion, it might be worth it to pay to make sure it gets there on time. Additionally, you could decorate the box. 
• If you are trying to win the person over, you could send a favorite chocolate or sweet treat with the package. 

• Learn how creative you and your date can be. 
• Learn how much fun you can have with someone over a long distance date.
• Learn how focused your date can be with you, even when you two aren't together in person.

• Other than needing a car to pick up the supplies and to send the package, you probably won’t need a car. 

• Just really think through what you’ll need for the date, that way you don’t miss anything. 

• You each need a note card and a pen. It’s that simple.

• It’s pretty easy to find a note card, but if you don’t have any, you can always just use a piece of paper that you cut to size. So hopefully you can get the supplies anywhere.

• Pick certain topics to talk about. 
• Make bets about who’s name is going to be shown the most. 
• You can also do this date in-person, just chilling and sitting next to each other.
• You can use nicknames.

• I think we all know that long distance dates are tough. It’s hard not getting to spend time together having fun and learning about one another. However, long distance gives you an opportunity to learn a lot more about a person, because all you can do is talk. But even talking and finding things to talk about can sometimes hit a lull. So, this is a fun game that I’ve adapted from a wedding game. Either before or after you start the video call, make sure that you both have a blank note card and a pen. Then both you and your date write each of your names on one side of each card (so your card has your name on one side and his/her’s on the other, and your date’s card has the same). Then what you do is you explain that you’ll be doing is both ask each other “who’s” questions. For example, “who likes swimming more?”, “who’s been to more countries?”, “who’s more ready for kids?”, “who’s better with money?”, etc. Once you ask a question, you both count down from 3 and hold up a card with one of your names on it. Then you explain that you can talk about each other’s answers and thoughts and explore that topic deeper. For example, if my date and I both said held up my name to the question, “who likes swimming more”, I can ask why she thought that, and why I didn’t put her name up.  After explaining, play as many rounds as you want! I think it’s fun to take turns, so that you both get to choose topics that interest you. At the conclusion of the date, thank your date, and end the video call. 

• Learn a lot more about your date, his/her likes and dislikes 
• Learn how he/she sees different aspects of the world and how you and him/her see each other. 
• Learn how well your date thinks up questions/topics to talk about. 
• See how competitive your date can be in trying to prove who is right (i.e. “no, I’m telling you, YOU like summer a lot more than I do”). 

• If your date has a hard time thinking up questions and you know this in advance, it can be helpful to let her know what you’ll be doing on the date, so he/she can think of topics or questions. 
• Honestly, I think girls typically are impressed with this date and how creative it is. And it really gives you an opportunity to talk about a lot of things in a non-stressful way. I use it to bring up some harder topics too, like “who’s better with money?” or “who’s more ready to for kids?”. Obviously, these are deeper topics and questions that you would only ask as your relationship gets deeper. 

Step by Step: 

(1)  This date is a bit of a slow pace (not as action packed) so you’ll want to ask someone that you are comfortable doing this with (why it's not as great for a first date) and who you think loves learning.

(2)  After you’ve decided who to ask, ask him/her! You can either tell him/her to think of some ideas of things they’d like to learn or you can simply surprise him/her. Your date shouldn’t have to wear anything in particular to make this date comfortable.

(3)  Once you pick up your date, I would suggest that each of you make a list of three things that you’d like to learn (three gives you some options for the date portion). Next I would tell my date that today we’re going to learn something new, and we’re going to teach each other! So both of you need to pick one thing on that list that you want to learn about and teach the other person. An example could be one person chooses “Gardening” and the other person chooses “Mandarine Chinese”. After you’ve both picked, explain to your date that not only are going to learn about these things, but you are going to teach each other try them out! 

(4)  Next you each need to decide on where you are going to go to learn more about your selected topic! Good places to go include, the library, a bookstore, on a cozy couch with YouTube, Pinterest, Google, etc. I think the library is an excellent option because then you two can walk together looking at books and talk about what you see. Then once you’ve got your books in hand, find a place to sit down and read a bit for 20-30 minutes. If you decided to look up YouTube videos or something online, I would just make sure that you both sit together, avoid getting distracted by anything else on the phone, and keep one headphone out (if you need to use headphones) so you can still talk about whatever you want to. 

(5)  After you’ve spent some time briefly learning about the topic you selected, the next part of the date is spent teaching it to each other and sharing personal insights. For example if you were learning Mandarin Chinese, you could share with your date phrases and words that you learned. 

(6)  Now you need to go out and try to do what you both learned! Following the “Mandarin Chinese” example, I would go with my date to a Chinese restaurant for food (or maybe just dessert) and we would both try to say the phrases we’ve learned! Or if my topic was “Gardening”, I would go buy a plant with my date (or seeds and a pot) and we would apply what we’ve learned. Ideally this part shouldn’t go over an hour (it’s a deeper date so it’s ok if your date takes a little longer). 

(7)  At the end take your date home, thank him/her for the time together, and end the date.   

Cost: 

• This date doesn’t have a specific cost, so I would just set a budget of anywhere from $15-$20. That gives you roughly $10 per activity.

What do you need: 

• A place to sit and learn 
• A phone and headphones (only if you decide to learn via online sources)
• A place with a lot of books 
• Library
• Bookstore 
• Walmart, Target, etc. 
• Thrift Stores 
• Totally depends on what your activities are!

Where to get the supplies:

• It depends on what you’re going to be learning about and doing.

How to do the date: 

   In doing this date I would pick someone who you know loves to learn or someone that you would love to learn something new with. After you pick him/her up, write down some things that you both would like to learn (anything from languages to skills to hobbies). Then you each pick something that you’d like to learn that night and like to try doing. Once you’ve done this, go somewhere that would help you learn about chosen topics! I chose the library because you can find a book on pretty much anything. I also used YouTube for a few videos. After you both take some time to learn together, share anything and everything that you learned that you find helpful. Once you’re done sharing, figure out a way to go do something to practice your new skills! After you’ve had fun showing off what you’ve learned, thank your date for the awesome time and take him/her home!

Expectations

• Learn what the other person is interested in.
• Learn what the attention span is of the other person.
• Have the opportunity to learn and to share things that you think are amazing! 
• Learn how your date likes to teach / be taught 
• See how creative you and your date can be. 
• See how brave your date is in learning and doing something new.

Type of date: Deeper date

No car: I think this date would be much easier with a car! But if you don’t have one and you are near a library or somewhere to sit and read/study together, you can always walk to it.

Pro Tip: 

• If your resources are limited (for example, if you think your date might want to learn how to snowboard, but it’s summer), set some parameters for what you want to learn (for example you could say, “write down something you can learn in the summer”). 
• Don’t let yourselves be distracted by other things on the phones if you are using them to learn. 
• If you want to do multiple things on your date’s list, you can always plan them for other dates!

Ways to Mix Up the Date:

• You could pick hot topics to talk about (politics, religion, etc) 
• You could pick other people to teach (roommates, kids, siblings, the other couple if this is turned into a group date, etc) 
• You could set a specific category of activities, like “Arts and Crafts”, “Outdoor Things”, “Exercise Activities”, etc. 
• You could choose one thing to learn together and then you both just study that topic. For example you both read about “Painting”. 
• You could go to an old bookstore or a thrift store and you both have to learn about the topic of the first book that you find and pull off the shelf. 

• A sturdy car (ideally with 4 wheel drive)
• Bug spray
• Swimsuits 
• Towels 
• Sun screen 
• Water 
• Food / snacks

• If you do decide to add things to the date (see Ideas to mix up the date), then most of those things can be found at BYU-Idaho’s ORC for a really inexpensive price. 
• http://www.byui.edu/orc/rentals

• Make it a longer date and take stuff for a campfire and food
• Take hammocks and hammock by the lake
• Take a Frisbee
• Take a canoe or kayak or waterboard 
• Try fishing in the lake 
• Take bikes (mountain or dirt bike) to ride on the paths all around the lake
• Take buggies or 4 wheelers  
• Take instruments (guitars for example) and jam out in the woods 
• Take card games or play other group games while there.
• Make it a double or a huge group date!

• Learn a bit of what your date is like on long car rides (including what kind of music he/she likes)
• See how adventurous your date can be at the lake (is he/she willing to be daring and jump from high places, is he/she willing to swim across the lake, etc.)
• See how well your date can handle rough roads (or your driving on rough roads)
• Learn if your date is a hiker and what he/she thinks of the outdoors.
• If there is any type of injury (which can happen hiking) see how well he/she either deals with it or helps with it.

• Again, I just really recommend bug spray, there were tons of horseflies that bite! 
• Don’t push your date too hard to do any of the jumps or things if he/she is uncomfortable with it. Especially if your date is a girl, if anything happens to her that she doesn’t like because you pushed her to do it, she won’t be as interested in another date. Plus she won’t trust you as much. 
• Always keep a first aid kit in your car in-case something happens while on the hike or at the lake (such as scrapes, cuts, etc.) 
• Take a speaker (ideally waterproof) to listen to music to while you swim.

Step by Step:

Pro Tips: 

• Keep your shoes on. It can be tempting to try sliding with just socks on, or scaling the walls, but taking your shoes off can lead to a smelly hallway. 
• I wouldn’t take a girl who you think would be uncomfortable going through an obstacle course (either due to embarrassment, lack of flexibility, etc.), simply because it could make this date very awkward very quickly.

Add Other Spy Stuff: 

• Car Swerves  Most spy movies have some sort of car chase or action. And while we don’t want to break the law and do a car chase, you could still find an empty parking lot or safe space and create a course. To create the course I would just use black plastic cups as cones, then you could put time challenges to get through the course without taking out any cups. You would need cups and a car that sits closer to the ground. 

• Code Breaking  This is especially fun if it’s a double. What I would do is have the mission of creating a code for the other couple to break. For example, both couples could make a 4 number/character code by going into a building, creating and writing down clues (example: how many stairs are there from top to bottom minus 15), then both couples come back and swap clue lists. Then the first couple to break the other couple’s code wins and gets to go through the laser course first (or pick some other prize).  You would just need paper and pens. 

• Nerf Gun shooting  What spy movie doesn’t have a gun fight? Nerf guns aren’t quite the same, but it comes somewhat close to recreating it. You could also shoot targets (if it’s a single date). You could have the guns be on the other side of the laser course or in a totally separate area. Also, watch out for eyes (“you’ll shoot your eye out!”) You just need nerf guns and nerf bullets. You could look for cheap guns like this at DI or at the Dollar Store.  

Romney

Rigby