So, you are single, Catholic, and dating.  Congratulations!  You have tons of fun dating experiences ahead of you.  But we also wish you good luck, because dating as a single Catholic can be a bit challenging.  As a single Catholic, you may be looking for dating activities that are in line with your morals and convictions.  Bars and dance clubs may not be your scene.  But we have some tips for you to create fun, creative dates for you and your companion.  Dating as a Catholic single doesn't have to be boring or unoriginal.

Single Catholic Dating Tip #1: Be a Kid Again
Go to a fast food chain and order a couple of kids meals--if you are both really hungry, get more than one each.  Then take your kiddie meals to a nearby park or playground.  Your local Catholic church may have one.  Have a picnic with your kiddie meals--you even get to play with the toys that come with them.  Once your food has settled, it's playtime.  Hit the slides, the sandbox, the monkey bars.  The swings are a particularly romantic piece of playground equipment.

Single Catholic Dating Tip #2: Create Something Together
Paint-your-own pottery places are popping up all over the place, and oftentimes on weekends they have specials for singles going on dates.  Creating something together forms an imaginative bond between you and gives you something in common.  It doesn't have to be painting pottery--you can plant a tree.  Or draw chalk pictures on the sidewalk.  Or bake a cake.  It allows for a lot of time for conversation as you work.

Single Catholic Dating Tip #3: Take Me Out to the Ballgame
A ballgame doesn't have to be a professional sporting event.  Look around for local sporting events at high schools or community centers.  You can take in a Little League game together for much less than the cost of professional tickets, and you can get sno-cones and popcorn, too!  Plus, it is a joy to watch children playing and having fun.  It will spark conversations about your respective childhoods, and you will learn about each other.  And if you are a single Catholic looking to start a good Catholic family, being around kids can help you feel out how your potential mate feels about children. 

Single Catholic Dating Tip #4: Dinner and a Movie
Yes, it may seem like the boring old standard, but there is plenty of room to get creative.  Cook the dinner yourselves!  Begin by planning the menu, then shopping for the ingredients, then spend a few hours in the kitchen having great conversation as you cook up something yummy.  After you enjoy your culinary creation, pop in a DVD and relax without the crowds, noise, and expense of seeing a movie at the theaters. 

Single Catholic Dating Tip #5: Do Chores Together
That's right, do chores.  Rake leaves, shovel snow, clean out the garage.  Do it together--and do it for someone else, such as your elderly neighbor.  Doing something nice for someone else is not only fun and good in and of itself, but sharing it with a date is a bonding experience like no other, especially for a Catholic.

Single Catholic Dating Tip #6: Have A Bloody Good Time
Similarly, you can do something good by donating blood together.  It is less scary to donate blood as a pair than alone. You can get to know each other over juice and cookies, and the wooziness you feel might just loosen you up a bit so you won't feel so nervous about your date. 

Single Catholic Dating Tip #7: Crash a Wedding Ceremony
Everyone knows that Catholic weddings are a sight to see.  The flowers, the numerous bridesmaids, the dress.  There is almost always a wedding happening at your church on any given weekend, so why not go check one out.  You can see a beautiful, heartwarming ceremony and attend a full mass while you are at it.  This date may not be appropriate for a first date, but it is a fun one for serious Catholic couples.  If you are truly daring, you can even try to crash the reception.  Get some ideas--because you may not be a single Catholic in the dating scene for much longer!