As the leaves begin to make their earthward descent, change is in the air. Embrace the approaching autumn season with these fall-inspired date ideas.

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I’m not going to lie here—after Labor Day, I’m always a little blue. According to the calendar, there are still a few weeks of summer, but the kids are back in school and the days are a little shorter. You may not feel fall in the air yet, but you know it’s coming.

The thing that keeps me smiling is knowing how many fun activities are about to unfold because of the changing leaves, Halloween, and pumpkin patches coming to life. So while summer camp may become but a memory, the orange hues are waiting to be explored.

I invite you to take the magic of summer camp and apply it to crisp fall evenings that may be filled with anything from apples to zombies. Here’s your back to school lesson on fall dating:

1. Attend a Halloween parade or event. Enjoy being a kid again while you take in the sights and sounds of Halloween together.
2. Be brave and go on a ghost hunt. There are lots of strong souls guiding folks through fields and graveyards searching for ghosts this time of year. If you’re feeling particularly brave, do an overnight hunt as getting scared usually means getting close.
3. Create a fall-inspired meal together. Check out allrecipes.com for fall recipe ideas and don’t forget the best part – dessert!
4. Dress up for Halloween – as a couple. Enjoy Halloween even more by creating a couples inspired costume.
5. Eat and drink pumpkins! Try to taste pumpkins in as many ways as possible … besides pumpkin pie there’s also pumpkin bread, pumpkin latte, pumpkin beer. What else can you find that maybe you never even knew about?
6. Fill up the gas tank and take a leaf peeping drive. Be sure to stop along the way to snap photos together!
7. Get out your market basket and pick apples. Then be sure to figure out ways to put the apples to good use – together!
8. Host a wine and cheese tasting party. It can be easy and inexpensive. Plus, who knows what will happen when you’re both left alone to clean up together?
9. Illustrate life with each other by creating a joint vision board. This will also help to keep things lively during the dull winter months, as you’ll be inspired by the images on your board.
10. Just do it by trying something new—together. If you’ve been procrastinating, encourage each other by doing something new together.
11. Keep goodness growing by celebrating World Kindness Day. Random acts of kindness help those who are receiving as well as those who are giving!
12. Light a fire. Don’t have a fireplace? No worries. Improvise by creating one yourself. 
13. Make yourselves hosts at your own tailgating party. Just because summer is over doesn’t mean you have to bring the party inside.
14. Nickname each other and then try out a little role playing. Me-ow!
15. Outwit, outlast, outplay each other in your own scavenger hunt. Invite friends and create teams that each of you will lead.
16. Play. Did you know one of the best things you can do to get closer is play together? And, it doesn’t even matter who wins or loses!
17. Quiet the mind and enjoy a yoga class. A peaceful yoga practice can put you in the right mindset to authentically connect—on and off the mat.
18. Rock out at a fall festival. The festival season continues on into fall with a harvest twist.
19. See the leaves close up on a nature walk. Fall is a wonderful time to visit the national parks because the crowds are gone so you can enjoy a romantic stroll.
20. Take a hayride on a farm. And if it’s haunted, even better!
21. Understand more cool stuff by taking a class together. Want to explore creativity from home? No problem! Take an online class together.
22. Visit a haunted house. And never stop holding hands during your visit!
23. Watch a game together with a thermos of hot chocolate. And remember there’s more out there than just football.
24. Xerox pages from your favorite books and make new stories out of them. Not feeling creative? There are storytelling board games ready for you!
25. Yell out an “I love you!” from across the pumpkin patch. If it’s your first time saying those three magic words, you can always blame all that fresh air!
26. Zombify yourselves on a zombie stroll. If you’re still into each other after spending the day together looking like zombies, it could be the real deal.

May you earn a gold star on all your dates this fall!