Good places for single parents with kids to date

Single parents who go out on dates sometimes want to bring their children along, especially if you are getting to know the other person rather well. A public outing together is a great way to see how everyone meshes without pressure stemming from one-to-one interaction.

It can be difficult choosing a restaurant or concert to suit everyone’s tastes if you have kids at various ages and a new person in your life. If you're looking for fun family-type places to visit as a group so that everyone will be entertained and not bored, here are some possibilities that may interest grownups as well as kids aged one to eighteen.

1. Go to the zoo.
Watching the camels in a semi-natural habitat, feeding penguins, and visiting the aquarium that some zoos feature can be a fun and funny experience for the entire group. With everyone keeping an eye on their furry, finned, and feathery friends, there will be little time for those uncomfortable situations of getting to know one another with pressing questions or awkward moments. Take a camera for some great shots of each person with a favorite critter.

2. Check out a museum.
Not just any old stuffy museum with paintings of long-dead people, but hands-on interactive museums that will occupy kids and allow adults to enjoy the learning aspect of various exhibits. Recreated Indian encampments, science experiments, and sample sessions provide exciting opportunities of finding out new things. Learning opens the mind to other ideas as well, including a parent's new relationship.

3. See the circus.
Few events bring out the kid in adults as much as going to the circus. Death-defying trapeze acts followed by lion taming tricks and clowns' side-bursting humor take everyone's mind off possible anxieties and provides much-appreciated escape from everyday tension or boredom. Everyone gets a return trip to childhood that will bring smiles to each face and warmth to each heart.

4. Visit the park.
Hike the trails, admire flowery displays, and feed the ducks at the lake as you fish off a dock for some enjoyable getaway time. Nature offers a comforting release from other concerns, so encourage everyone to jump in and choose a fun activity for the afternoon park adventure.

5. Pack a picnic.
Instead of sitting down to dinner across from each other in a crowded kitchen or quiet dining room, pack a basket of easy to eat fun foods for a relaxed meal away from home. Choose a roadside scenic spot with a blanket or lawn chairs, or choose a park side picnic table with a checkered cloth. Bring along something that each person enjoys, from sandwiches to lemonade and home-baked cookies. There won't be an uncomfortable silence after the meal, since the kids can jump up and scamper around while adults finish up.

Low-key activities like these offer pleasure without pressure for everyone involved. Let the kids get used to your new squeeze in a win-win way by taking them to fun events they will enjoy as they get to know the new person in your life.