Relationships need to be nurtured for them to last long. One common aspect many couples notice after being together for a while is the lack of excitement. Though the initial stages of the relationship are full of love, affection, and bonding, they get replaced by comfort and routine over time. This dampens the liveliness and can result in couples feeling bored or being uninterested in each other.
Counselors often advise couples to spend time together doing things they like so that they can get back the initial glow of a happy relationship. Trying new activities and hobbies top the list of advice. While every person has one, or the other hobby (ies) of their own, it is important to include hobbies they can take up with the significant other.
In fact, a lot of hobbies are flexible enough to be tried by individuals and couples. By choosing the ones both would enjoy, the couple will be creating an atmosphere of fun, excitement, and love around them.
Hobbies are a great way to understand your partner even better and strengthen your bond. In this post, we’ve listed 21 relationship strengthening hobbies for couples to try and bring back the rush of new-found love. Keep your relationship young and exciting forever.
Shall we get started on the list without delays?
Table of Contents
Spend Time Outdoors
1. Go Surfing or Kayaking
Living near water bodies is wonderful in many ways. There are various activities to choose from. Just like how we included two hobbies in this one. If water sports fascinate you, surfing is one of the best hobbies to take up. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know how to surf. You can hire a trainer to teach both of you at once.
Glide on the salty waves of the seas and oceans by braving the rushing tides. Surfing improves body balance, control, and coordination. When you surf together, you learn to look out for each other at all times.
If surfing seems to be difficult or if you can access only a river, kayaking is something you can try instead. You’ll need a kayak, paddles, life jackets, some training, and a river. Plan a day out on the riverside. Spending time together in the middle of a river is both exciting and relaxing at the same time. River rafting is yet another adventure hobby you could try.
2. Intramural Sports for Extra Bonding
Intramural sports are always super fun. Couples can play games with and against other couples, like volleyball, softball, beach volleyball, or such other sports. Couples have to rely on each other to make sure they win. Having a common goal creates a bond where each of them works to support the other in the endeavor.
You learn to communicate without words, understand what your partner is thinking/ planning, and work towards making it come true. That said, it is essential not to let the end result come between you. Blaming one another for a loss will lead to the opposite of what you wanted. Don’t let the wins and losses define your relationship.
3. Adventure Time, Dears
Nothing like an adventure to spice up a relationship, is it? Whether it is bungee jumping, zapping, paragliding, parasailing, or hot air ballooning, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try something new or even terrifying. There is a whole lot of difference when trying something adventurous with your partner.
The support, encouragement, and motivation to get from them (and vice versa) will give the confidence to do something you’ve never done before. You can create some lasting memories and fondly talk about them when you are too old to try a risky adventure sport sometime in the future. Wouldn’t that be lovely?
Remember, positivity matters the most. Be positive and encouraging, and ask for the same from your partner.
4. Skydiving/ Scuba Diving
You wondered why we didn’t mention skydiving and scuba diving in adventure sports, didn’t you? Now you know the reason. *wink*
Whether it is flying in the vast sky like a bird or diving deep into the waters to explore aquatic life, doing it with your significant other is enthralling. Why limit these activities to your honeymoon trip? There is no rule that you can’t try them again and again, right?
Instead of saying you’ve already scuba-dived during your honeymoon, say that you do it each time the both of you go on trips. If you live near a sea or an ocean, you don’t even need to travel elsewhere. Explore the subtle nuances of your relationship the way you explore the deep waters or high skies.
5. Traveling, Of Course
Oh, well, this is bound to be on every list, right? Packing your bags and going for a vacation is necessary to get away from the mad rush of daily demands and responsibilities. The main aim of traveling is to go to another place to spend quality time together.
You can indulge in adventures, explorations, or simply relax and unwind away from the bustling crowd. You don’t need to fill your travel schedule with activities from morning to night. Leave out enough time to do something impulsive.
There’s no point in having a meticulous schedule even during your travels when that’s what you have to follow back home, right? Be flexible, inventive, and fun-loving. Plan at least one getaway per year, if not more.
Sharing at Home
6. Raising a Pet
We’ve talked quite a bit about outdoor activities and adventures, didn’t we? It’s time to follow the same at home. Sharing responsibilities is crucial for a relationship to continue to be strong. While it is practically impossible for both of you to take up 50-50% of the work each time, the ultimate equation should balance out with both of you giving and taking.
Raising a pet is one such hobby that requires effort from the couple. It is pretty much similar to raising kids. Pets need the same care, love, and affection as human babies do. Couples who raise a pet and share its responsibility become supportive partners and follow the same when it comes to raising children. Your pets are your fur babies. They bring out the love in you and fill your home with happiness and laughter.
7. Massage Time- Self Care
No one should ignore self-care. Taking care of yourself is important if you want to take care of your partner and your relationship. Why not make it a joint activity? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could take care of each other? Not out of the compulsion of being in a relationship but because you want to.
Have one day per week or at least per month to shut off from the outside world and rejuvenate at home. It doesn’t even cost you anything, right? Set up a cozy atmosphere at home by the fireside. Give your partner a food massage or a shoulder massage. Take turns in helping each other relax and let your actions show your love.
8. Home Projects and Partnerships
Home projects don’t have to be cost-intensive. Whether you plan to buy a new home or renovate the existing one, you can divide it into smaller activities and turn it into a hobby. Rather than hiring others to do the job, you and your partner can take up some jobs such as painting, rearranging, changing the décor, etc.
You don’t have to do anything on a large scale, either. Simply cleaning and arranging the shelves together are a good activity. You get to discuss various topics, share jokes and memories, and spend quality time together. At the same time, your home looks great due to the effort you put into maintaining it.
9. Movie and Date Nights are a Must
You are never too old to go on a date with your love. One reason relationships lose the spark is the lack of effort by couples to retain it over time. Go out for dinner, movies, events, or games. Get a babysitter or a pet sitter if you have kids (humans and animals).
Make an effort to get dressed and look beautiful. Spend time together, cherishing the tender moments. Don’t let worries from your daily life ruin the special time. You can also plan surprise dates for your partner. Just make sure they like surprises, and their schedule is clear. The last thing you want is to fight over it and let it further affect your relationship.
10. Cook up a Storm
Cooking together can be truly fun. Try a new recipe or help your partner in cooking a favorite meal. It is a sensual activity that involves colors, flavors, and scents. One can rarely go wrong with food and wine, right? Of course, you will need to know your partner’s tastes and preferences.
Start with making a list of dishes you want to cook and shop for the ingredients together. If that isn’t possible, at least make sure you cook together and spend time in the kitchen. A few candles and some flowers will add to the mood. What if neither of you knows how to cook? Well, join cooking classes together and try the recipe at home, yes, together.
Some Fun and Bonding
11. Ballroom Dancing
Ballroom dancing is an excellent way to revive the embers and fan them into flames of love for each other. Ballroom dance forms are couple dances that require the couples to get close to each other physically and emotionally. Dance builds a sense of trust, affection, and improves synchronization between the couples.
The classic waltz, the energetic and exotic tango, the Spanish bolero, etc. are some famous dance forms you can learn. Not knowing how to dance is hardly going to be an issue here. Join classes together and strengthen your bond. Also, you get to flaunt your skills at parties and events. Become the famous dancing couple in your circle.
12. Wine Making/ Tasting
Winemaking may not be possible for everyone (though it is quite easy to follow a cheat version and make some at home). But wine tasting can be an exciting hobby for couples. Even more so if you and your partner love wine and like to try different flavors and brands.
Attending winemaking sessions, visiting vineyards, going for wine tastings, exploring the history behind winemaking, and studying the conditions affecting the taste, etc. are fascinating activities for wine lovers. When you do it together, you enjoy it even more, don’t you?
Vineyards are located in some of the most beautiful regions in the world. These trips double up as travel adventures and ignite the spark between you. There’s something about scenic locations and good wine that enhances love between couples.
13. Yoga/ Exercise- Fitness Couple Goals
Healthy couples will be happy couples. If you don’t have the time to stay fit or have stopped bothering about your fitness, it’s time to add it to your list of couple goals. Get back in shape and improve your health. Exercising alone is not much fun, is it? But we also don’t want to exercise with people we don’t know.
Couples can create a schedule and workout every day (or whenever possible) together. Inspire, encourage, and motivate each other to do better and achieve fitness goals. Whether you hire a trainer or follow DVDs, whether you do them indoors or outdoors, whether you choose aerobics or yoga, follow through and continue it regularly. Sync your energies and attract positive vibes to strengthen your body, mind, and relationship.
14. Partying- Host some, Attend Some
Partying is always fun, isn’t it? Attend events, parties, and functions together. Make an effort to coordinate your dresses and look good. Drive together and come back home together. Socialize, but stay connected at the event.
If you are a fan of having people come for dinners, rope in your partner to help you plan it. Divide the workload and share responsibilities. Get them to help with cleaning, cooking, decorating entertaining, and cleaning (again).
Talk about happy and funny moments. Just be careful not to let your teasing hurt your partner or vice versa. Some boundaries cannot be crossed, no matter how much you want a relationship to work, right?
15. Music and Lit Fests
Focus on common interests and turn them into a hobby for both of you to take up. Even if only one of you likes something, the other person can support you in improving your skills, right? You can do the same for them.
The advantage here is that each of you gets to understand the other at a deeper level. Also, you get to learn more about something that hasn’t interested you before. Who knows, you might end up loving it just as your partner does.
Music fests and lit fests are two examples we’ve come up with for you to try. Think of the favorite song from your courtship days or a book that brought you both together. Have fun by attending events about things that mean something important to you.
16. Road Trips- Drive Away, Together
What if you don’t like the crowd? Fests, carnivals, and events invariably draw a lot of crowds. That’s the reason they are arranged in the first place. What should you do when you want to get away from the house but at the same time, do not want to get stuck among too many people?
Go on a road trip, simple, right? Rent a car or take yours and drive away to a favorite destination. Set up a camp for the night and spend time under the starry sky. Sing along the radio as you take turns to drive through the city and country roads. Take pictures, create memories, and sort out any differences you have. It’s a good time to move on together and build a better future with each other.
A Few More to Try
17. Healthy Living for a Happy Life
Health should be a priority, especially in the fast-paced, chemical-filled world we live in. Inculcating healthy habits in your day to day routine is essential. Start by making changes to your diet. Learn more about organic produce, healthy food, and how it can be sourced.
Visit farmers’ markets with your partners, and talk to people. Discuss how you can make proper changes to your diet without compromising on the taste. Inspire each other to give up unhealthy habits and develop healthy ones. Support each other to adopt new habits and turn your home into a positive and eco-friendly zone. Become a couple that builds a beautiful future for themselves and their kids.
18. Art is Calling You
From drawing and painting to visiting art exhibitions and museums, learning pottery, sculpting, or crafting, there are many ways to let art become a connecting point between you and your partner. You can be each other’s muse and inspiration to learn a new skill.
Paint the portrait of your partner, make a pot or bowl for them, sculpt a statue resembling them, or take them on a surprise trip to an exhibition and gift them an art piece they like.
19. Collect- Things and Memories
Almost all of us collect things. Whether they are costly or inconsequential is of no importance. Why not try collecting something together with your partner? There aren’t any restrictions from shells to rocks to stamps to flowers or figurines and games (except for the item being legal).
When you start a joint collection, you will also collect memories of how you came across every piece in the collection. Rather than arguing about who has a better collection, you can focus on the team effort.
20. Astronomy- Under the Starry Night Sky
The sky is such a mesmerizing part of the universe, isn’t it? Whether your interest is scientific or whether you want to look into the aspects of astrology, the sky plays a major role in both instances.
Set up a telescope in the balcony or on the terrace. Sit with your partner and count the stars, identify the constellations, and make wishes on shooting stars. Let the guiding light of the moon fill your relationship with love and warmth.
21. Volunteering for a Good Cause
The satisfaction of helping someone cannot be expressed in words. Why not volunteer for a cause along with your partner? Be it picking up trash from the beaches, cleaning rivers, taking dogs on a walk, spending time with seniors at shelter homes, or even running marathons to promote a global cause, there are many things you can do together.
Volunteering helps both of you see things in a different light. When you help those who are less privileged, you will realize the value of the bond you share with each other. Your compassion will bring you together and strengthen your relationship.
Conclusion
Those sure are some super cool hobbies to try, aren’t they? The idea is to balance out your personal time and space with your couple-time. Spend time together alone, even if it is to just unwind and talk about the sweet nothings from the past.
However, couples should ensure that they focus on understanding each other and respecting the differences rather than expecting the partner to change their ways or agreeing to everything one has to say. Hobbies should be treated as a tool to improve communication, collaboration, trust, and love between the couples and not as a means to control the other person or show superiority.
Apart from the above-listed hobbies, couples can also take up extreme sports, plan surprise dates, or go on sudden weekend trips to keep the spark alive. Try something new, different, and fun. Build a happy home by strengthening your relationship.
Couples with kids will be setting a good example by showing children how relationships can be long-lasting with effort and affection. Happy couples create happy families, don’t they? Go on, now. Talk to your partner and list out the hobbies you’d like to try together.
