COUPLES THERAPY: FUN THINGS TO DO AS A COUPLE
It can be easy to fall into a relationship rut, especially if you don’t take time to carve out time together. Spending time with your partner can bring romance and adventure to your relationship and strengthen your bond.
GO ON A DATE
The typical dinner-and-a-movie date is always great, but sometimes you need to take a break from your routine. Think outside the box: brunch, karaoke, or a lazy day a the park counts as a date. Date nights don’t have to be expensive either.
Things to Do on a Date
· Take a walk in nature
· Visit a museum
· Go thrift shopping
· Join a trivia team
· Go to an escape room
· Visit the zoo
· Go to an arcade or amusement park
· Try a new restaurant
· Make a new recipe together
· Have a spa night at home
· Take a dance class
· Make a craft together
· Go to a concert or comedy show
· Take a new workout class together
· Go to an open house
· Tour a brewery or go to a wine tasting
· Try roller skating
· Host a party
TRAVEL
Pack your bags and get away for the night, weekend, or week. A romantic getaway can recharge you both and give you some quality time away from the normal routine. If your budget is tight, opt for a one-night excursion that is close to home or book a home rental through VRBO or Airbnb.
DINE OFF THE BEATEN PATH
Plan a trip to explore an acclaimed restaurant you have never tried before. Pick a city that isn’t terribly far from home or splurge and stay one night at a hotel. Dining off the beaten path can provide a romantic and new experience for both of you.
EXPLORE THE NEAREST STATE PARK
Spending time outdoors comes with a world of benefits, including bonding and creating lifelong memories. Pack a backpack and go to the nearest state park for the day. Go for a long hike together or set up camp for the night, while stargazing.
GET ACTIVE TOGETHER
Engaging physical activities with your partner can be a great way to spend time together.
Exercise
The benefits of exercising are numerous. In addition to spending time with your partner, you will improve your overall health, get in better shape, and even enhance your sex life. Exercise is linked to improved body image, reduced sexual and erectile dysfunction, and short and long-term arousal in women.
This can include taking a walk together, going to a yoga class, using an exercise app at home, playing a fitness game or video game console. Exercising together can be in the form of strenuous activity, such as painting a room, cleaning out a basement, or planting a garden.
Dance
Ask your partner for a dance in the kitchen. Play old records or put on your favorite playlist. Or, go dancing with your partner on the town or hit a dance club.
EXPLORE A HOBBY TOGETHER
Another way to connect with your partner is spending time together exploring a hobby. This can be something you both enjoy, or one of you might enjoy helping the other explore individual interests.
Start a New Hobby
Find common ground and look for hobbies you would enjoy together. If you can’t agree on doing the same hobby, choose separate hobbies and do them in the same room.
Cook Together
Consider cooking together. If you have children, take at least one night a month to eat dinner after the kids go to bed. If you can get out of the house, take a cooking class together and it is a fun way to learn new recipes and cooking techniques.
Redecorate
Pick a room and redecorate together. It could be a room that needs an organizational makeover or a room you want to freshen up since you use it often. Decorating isn’t about being a master interior designer. It’s about the time you and your partner spend together while reorganizing, repurposing, or reevaluating the needs you have for a particular room.
RELAX TOGETHER
Getting active and exploring hobbies together can be fun, but sometimes you may want to do something more relaxing or low-key. This can be a great opportunity to destress and unwind while enjoying each other’s company.
Share a Book
Curl up on the couch or bed and read a book together. Read out loud or read together quietly. Discuss the books you’ve been reading over coffee or a favorite meal.
Listen to a Podcast or Audiobook
Snuggle on the couch and tune into a podcast or audiobook together. Pick something funny to add a little mood-boosting laughter to your life, or something motivational that can strengthen you as individuals and as a couple.
Play Games
Whether you are playing video games together or sitting down with a good card game, board game, or puzzle, games can be a great stress reliever. Playing games with your partner is a great opportunity to laugh and test your competitive spirit.
What TV and Movies
Watching TV and movies together is one of the simplest activities you can do after a long day of work. However, make sure it’s just the two of you, sitting together and holding hands. No gadgets, no status updates or Instagram posts. It’s a great time to snuggle and get close while doing something simple.
TRY A COUPLES MASSAGE
Turn on some relaxing music, dim the lights and take turns giving each other a massage. If you don’t want to commit to a full-body massage, you can try a hand or foot massage.
FOCUS ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP
Doing things together are specifically centered on your relationship can also be a great way to improve your bond. Some ideas you may want to explore:
Talk a Walk Down Memory Lane
You have spent a lot of years together and there are many more to come. Take time to review your life together. Scroll through your smart phone camera roll, Facebook photos, or Instagram shots and take a look at your first pictures together.
Reminisce about all the things you have done and places you have been together over the years.
Renew Your Vows
Looking for something that is a bit more elaborate? Renew your vows in front of friends and family. Renewing your vows is a great reminder of the bond you have with each other. If you have kids, it’s a fun way to incorporate them into your ceremony.
Visit Your Partner’s Hometown
Heading to your partner’s hometown is a great way to learn about their childhood. Even if you feel like you know everything about your partner, seeing them in their hometown will help you connect deeper. Swap embarrassing childhood stories or meaningful family memories as you explore old hangouts together.
IN SUMMARY
Everyday is a celebration of your relationship. Celebrate those moments. Mark your calendar to celebrate your first day, the date you got engaged and, of course, your wedding. Be sure to celebrate other life moments as well. Promotions or passing exams. These moments often get swept under the rug, but celebrating them as they happen is another way to celebrate you and the life you have together.
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