diff --git a/src/components/ui/calendar.tsx b/src/components/ui/calendar.tsx
index 900a69e4..bff47f58 100644
--- a/src/components/ui/calendar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ui/calendar.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ function Calendar({ className, classNames, showOutsideDays = true, ...props }: C
   return (
     <DayPicker
       showOutsideDays={showOutsideDays}
+      captionLayout="dropdown-buttons"
+      fromYear={props.fromYear || 1800}
+      toYear={props.toYear || new Date().getFullYear() + 10}
       className={cn("p-3", className)}
       classNames={{
         months: "flex flex-col sm:flex-row space-y-4 sm:space-x-4 sm:space-y-0",
diff --git a/src/components/ui/date-input-with-feedback.tsx b/src/components/ui/date-input-with-feedback.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3884830a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ui/date-input-with-feedback.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+import * as React from "react";
+import { format, parse, isValid } from "date-fns";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+import { DatePicker, DatePickerProps } from "./date-picker";
+
+interface DateInputWithFeedbackProps extends DatePickerProps {
+  showFeedback?: boolean;
+}
+
+export function DateInputWithFeedback({ 
+  showFeedback = true,
+  onSelect,
+  ...props 
+}: DateInputWithFeedbackProps) {
+  const [parseStatus, setParseStatus] = React.useState<{
+    isValid: boolean;
+    message: string;
+    parsed?: Date;
+  }>({ isValid: true, message: "" });
+
+  const parseDate = (input: string): Date | null => {
+    if (!input) return null;
+    
+    // Try ISO format: 2005-06-15
+    let parsed = parse(input, "yyyy-MM-dd", new Date());
+    if (isValid(parsed)) return parsed;
+    
+    // Try US format: 06/15/2005
+    parsed = parse(input, "MM/dd/yyyy", new Date());
+    if (isValid(parsed)) return parsed;
+    
+    // Try European format: 15/06/2005
+    parsed = parse(input, "dd/MM/yyyy", new Date());
+    if (isValid(parsed)) return parsed;
+    
+    // Try short format: 6/15/05
+    parsed = parse(input, "M/d/yy", new Date());
+    if (isValid(parsed)) return parsed;
+    
+    // Try short year format: 2005-6-15
+    parsed = parse(input, "yyyy-M-d", new Date());
+    if (isValid(parsed)) return parsed;
+    
+    return null;
+  };
+
+  const handleSelect = (date: Date | undefined) => {
+    if (date) {
+      setParseStatus({
+        isValid: true,
+        message: `✓ ${format(date, "PPP")}`,
+        parsed: date
+      });
+    } else {
+      setParseStatus({ isValid: true, message: "" });
+    }
+    onSelect?.(date);
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <div className="space-y-1">
+      <DatePicker
+        allowTextEntry
+        onSelect={handleSelect}
+        {...props}
+      />
+      {showFeedback && parseStatus.message && (
+        <p className={cn(
+          "text-xs",
+          parseStatus.isValid 
+            ? "text-green-600 dark:text-green-400" 
+            : "text-amber-600 dark:text-amber-400"
+        )}>
+          {parseStatus.message}
+        </p>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/components/ui/date-picker.tsx b/src/components/ui/date-picker.tsx
index f2a267c5..3354dc33 100644
--- a/src/components/ui/date-picker.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ui/date-picker.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import * as React from "react";
-import { format } from "date-fns";
+import { format, parse, isValid } from "date-fns";
 import { CalendarIcon } from "lucide-react";
 
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
 import { Calendar } from "@/components/ui/calendar";
 import {
   Popover,
@@ -21,6 +22,8 @@ export interface DatePickerProps {
   disablePast?: boolean;
   fromYear?: number;
   toYear?: number;
+  allowTextEntry?: boolean;
+  dateFormat?: string;
 }
 
 export function DatePicker({
@@ -33,12 +36,65 @@ export function DatePicker({
   disablePast = false,
   fromYear,
   toYear,
+  allowTextEntry = false,
+  dateFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd",
 }: DatePickerProps) {
   const [open, setOpen] = React.useState(false);
+  const [textInput, setTextInput] = React.useState("");
+  const [isTyping, setIsTyping] = React.useState(false);
+
+  const parseDate = (input: string): Date | null => {
+    if (!input) return null;
+    
+    // Try ISO format: 2005-06-15
+    let parsed = parse(input, "yyyy-MM-dd", new Date());
+    if (isValid(parsed)) return parsed;
+    
+    // Try US format: 06/15/2005
+    parsed = parse(input, "MM/dd/yyyy", new Date());
+    if (isValid(parsed)) return parsed;
+    
+    // Try European format: 15/06/2005
+    parsed = parse(input, "dd/MM/yyyy", new Date());
+    if (isValid(parsed)) return parsed;
+    
+    // Try short format: 6/15/05
+    parsed = parse(input, "M/d/yy", new Date());
+    if (isValid(parsed)) return parsed;
+    
+    // Try short year format: 2005-6-15
+    parsed = parse(input, "yyyy-M-d", new Date());
+    if (isValid(parsed)) return parsed;
+    
+    return null;
+  };
+
+  const handleTextChange = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
+    const value = e.target.value;
+    setTextInput(value);
+    setIsTyping(true);
+    
+    const parsed = parseDate(value);
+    if (parsed) {
+      onSelect?.(parsed);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const handleBlur = () => {
+    setIsTyping(false);
+    if (date) {
+      setTextInput(format(date, dateFormat));
+    } else {
+      setTextInput("");
+    }
+  };
 
   const handleSelect = (selectedDate: Date | undefined) => {
     onSelect?.(selectedDate);
     setOpen(false);
+    if (selectedDate) {
+      setTextInput(format(selectedDate, dateFormat));
+    }
   };
 
   const getDisabledDates = (date: Date) => {
@@ -48,6 +104,48 @@ export function DatePicker({
     return false;
   };
 
+  if (allowTextEntry) {
+    return (
+      <div className="relative flex gap-1">
+        <Input
+          type="text"
+          value={isTyping ? textInput : (date ? format(date, dateFormat) : "")}
+          onChange={handleTextChange}
+          onFocus={() => setIsTyping(true)}
+          onBlur={handleBlur}
+          placeholder={placeholder}
+          disabled={disabled}
+          className={cn("flex-1", className)}
+        />
+        <Popover open={open} onOpenChange={setOpen}>
+          <PopoverTrigger asChild>
+            <Button
+              variant="outline"
+              size="icon"
+              disabled={disabled}
+              className="shrink-0"
+              type="button"
+            >
+              <CalendarIcon className="h-4 w-4" />
+            </Button>
+          </PopoverTrigger>
+          <PopoverContent className="w-auto p-0" align="start">
+            <Calendar
+              mode="single"
+              selected={date}
+              onSelect={handleSelect}
+              disabled={getDisabledDates}
+              initialFocus
+              className="p-3 pointer-events-auto"
+              fromYear={fromYear}
+              toYear={toYear}
+            />
+          </PopoverContent>
+        </Popover>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
   return (
     <Popover open={open} onOpenChange={setOpen}>
       <PopoverTrigger asChild>
@@ -59,6 +157,7 @@ export function DatePicker({
             className
           )}
           disabled={disabled}
+          type="button"
         >
           <CalendarIcon className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
           <span className="truncate">
diff --git a/src/components/ui/flexible-date-input.tsx b/src/components/ui/flexible-date-input.tsx
index fd1c8e4d..7d82b1f7 100644
--- a/src/components/ui/flexible-date-input.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ui/flexible-date-input.tsx
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ export function FlexibleDateInput({
               disablePast={disablePast}
               fromYear={fromYear}
               toYear={toYear}
+              allowTextEntry={true}
             />
           )}