Fun date ideas and challenges for book lovers

Bookstores make for original date ideas! They offer an opportunity to bond with your partner in a quiet and peaceful setting.

In this article, we go through some book-inspired date ideas and later discuss fun challenges to do at a bookstore. You don’t have to be a bookworm to enjoy these dates or challenges. Some of them involve more walking and talking than actual reading. You just need to be ready to share your passions and interests with your partner. Let’s dive in!

1. You get to learn a lot about your partner. See how their mind works based on the books they pick or the sections they visit.
2. There are countless conversation starters at your fingertips. From original book covers to catchy titles, as you walk through the aisles, you have access to a variety of topics.
3. It fits any budget. You do not need to spend any money, though you might not resist the urge to buy your favourite book!
4. You can be playful. In a bookstore, there are lots of opportunities to flirt. You can stand close behind your partner, read over their shoulder, hook your fingers into theirs, etc. There are plenty of possibilities for connection if your love language is physical touch.

1. Have a book-to-movie marathon. Watch movie adaptations of your favourite novels and see how they compare.
2. Stargaze while listening to audiobooks. Make sure to grab a speaker, a blanket, and some snacks.
3. Attend a literary reading. This is a perfect opportunity to discover and support new authors.
4. Make literary cocktails or meals. Prepare dishes and drinks inspired by your favourite novels. Spend the rest of the night pretending that you are the characters in those novels. Find some book-inspired cocktails here.
5. Attend or host a literary trivia night.
6. Have a book-related scavenger hunt. See the challenges below for inspiration.

Source: Unsplash – Josh Felise

There is nothing like a little friendly competition with your significant other! The following are challenges to complete with your partner. You can pick your favourite and break them into smaller sets. Afterwards, set a timer and split up to find the relevant books. Then meet up to compare what you found. When you are done, return those books, and go back out for the next set of challenges. Tip: For more freedom, go to the bookstore at a time of day when it is not too busy.

• Where: Any bookstore or library with a sitting area. The bigger, the better.
• Time needed: One to two hours, depending on how many tasks you choose to complete.
• Supplies: The task list and a camera.

1. Find the book with the most creative title.
2. Find a book about your favourite hobby.
3. Snap a picture with the biggest book in the store.
4. Hunt for authors with your name.
5. Find the book with the oldest year of publication
6. Find a book that you have always wanted to read.
7. Find a book that you enjoyed as a child.
8. Find a book featuring an unlikely love story.
9. Find a how-to book or an article about a skill you would like to learn.
   
10. Find a book you think your partner would enjoy.

1. Visit the “Food” section and find a recipe you can make together.
2. Find a funny joke to share with your partner.
3. Find a fun quiz in a magazine to do together.
4. Browse the “Fiction” section and choose a scene with characters that you can impersonate.
5. Find an inspiring quote to print and display in your home.
6. Find a poem that expresses how you feel about your partner. (Tip: Read it aloud to your partner)
7. Browse the travel section and find a book or an article about a place you want to visit.
8. Go through the “Biography” section and find an inspiring story to share with your partner.
9. Browse fashion books and pick a look that your partner must replicate.
10. Find a book that can add some spice to your bedroom.

Source: Freepik

• Try to learn something new about your partner. As you sit down to compare what you found, take the time to explain why you picked what you did. Talk, laugh, and share any memories that come to mind.
• If you see each other as you hunt for the books, wink, tickle, or sneak a kiss.
• Take pictures of the books you find.
• Instead of racing against your partner, you can do the challenges together, working as a team and chatting about each item as you check it off the list.
• Plan future dates based on your favourite challenges. For instance, plan a cooking date based on your chosen recipe or a thrift shop date based on the fashion look you picked for them to recreate. Create your couple’s bucket list and start planning your next travel adventure based on the destination you researched.