Try These 16 Chill Date Ideas To Keep Things Low-Key

Mario Kart, anyone? Though I can guarantee that your date won't be totally thrilled to watch you play video games by yourself all night, a two-person game is a great way to inspire some friendly competition.

Who doesn't love freshly-baked cookies? Rather than preparing a full dinner, baking cookies is a casual way to spend time together in the kitchen (and you'll get the perfect opportunity to chat while your treats are in the oven).

Even if you and your crush aren't big sports fans, sporting events can be pretty exciting to watch and give you way more opportunities to socialize than a movie would. Talking during a movie is frowned upon, but cheering during a sports event is basically required.

Spread out a beach towel or blanket in front of your TV, grab some wine and cheese, and you've got a picnic without having to even go outside (plus free entertainment if you put on a movie or TV show). I can't explain it, but something about eating on the floor feels way more fun than eating at a table.

Dig out your old Monopoly board or a deck of cards and spend a night playing classic games with your crush. Let them win if you're feeling nice, or totally destroy them if competition is more your thing.

Grabbing ice cream is a chill way to literally go out with a crush without it feeling like you've asked them out. If you two aren't hitting it off, then you also have the option to make the date last only as long as your ice cream cone (which, if you're like me, isn't long).

Sweating in front of a crush may not sound like your idea of a good time, but inviting your date to do yoga or take a spin class with you can actually be a great bonding activity — even if one of you ends up making a fool of yourself while attempting a CrossFit class.

If you're in college or grad school, getting together at the library or your place to study is not only pressure-free — it's also practical. You don't even have to be preparing for the same test to spend time hitting the books together (as long as you two can stay focused long enough to actually study).

This suggestion may sound lame, but hear me out. Puzzles are underrated, and in my opinion, they're way more fun to do with someone else. Pick a tricky puzzle and time yourself to see how quickly you can complete it together (or put together your own puzzles and see who finishes theirs first).

If you two share a similar taste in music (or even if you don't), spend some time sharing your favorite albums, songs, and artists with each other. You'll be amazed to see how much you can learn about a person through the music they like.

Sure, you can watch a movie that's actually supposed to be funny, but my suggestion is to pick the worst movie you can find on Netflix instead. You won't feel bad talking through it, and you'll spark inside jokes that you can refer to long after the date is over.

Netflix is constantly making new comedy specials available to stream, and watching one is like going to a comedy show without having to pay (or even wear shoes).

Going on a walk with a crush is so simple, yet so effective. Taking a stroll around the block or through a park takes little effort, and moving around allows conversation to feel more natural than it would if you two were staring at each other from across a table.

Roll out some dough, add your favorite toppings, and make your own custom-made pizza together. It's way cheaper than ordering one, and you'll get to show off your kneading skills to your crush.

Just like going out for ice cream, getting coffee is much quicker, much cheaper, and far less formal than a dinner date. You can even offer to pay without breaking the bank or making your date feel awkward.

Am I the only person who spent all of middle school watching weird YouTube videos at my friends' houses? Get nostalgic and show each other the funniest videos you used to watch back in your teens — or share more recent videos that you crush hasn't watched yet — and get ready to LOL.

Asking someone on a date doesn't have to be a big deal, and the date itself doesn't have to be intimidating. Inviting your crush to do something chill will allow you both to feel more at ease and, as a result, you'll probably have a lot more fun together.