The couple that plays together, stays together! Why not level up your connection with your spouse by developing one of these 101 hobbies for couples?
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Hobbies are great for anyone – coupled up or not. They give you a sense of enjoyment, flow, and satisfaction. They can keep you mentally and / or physically active, reduce your stress levels and give you focus and purpose – especially when you’re not getting any of those things from your day job.
When couple engage in hobbies together though, that’s when the magic really happens.
Firstly, you get everything I mentioned above – while in the company of the person you love the most. It’s the perfect complement to a regular date night.
Secondly, you often find it easier to increase your communication skills while working on things (this strategy also works really well with teenage sons!).
It’s amazing how easy it can become to discuss traditionally tricky topics when your focus is allegedly elsewhere.
Thirdly, building up a bank of fun times means there’s plenty of happiness there should a withdrawal or two need to be made during tough times. They help you to create shared meaning as a couple and make memories that last a lifetime.
Finally, they can also help you learn from and appreciate the skill of your partner (great if you’re like me and tend to try and run the show).
For example, I started running because my husband was an avid runner – whereas the most running I did was running out of coffee.
Now we run together and have participated in several events together, including a half marathon.
These 101 hobbies for couples range from adventurous to creative to everything in between.
I suggest you start off by reading the list and making a list of all of the ones that appeal to you.
Your partner can also make their own list.
When you have finished, cross reference your list and see which ones match. Hopefully there is at least ONE there you both share!
If there’s more than one, write each one on a slip of paper, fold it over, and draw it out of a hat.
Make a commitment to each other that you’ll try the hobby on a regular basis for a minimum set period of time, such as 6 months.
(Trying out a new hobby can be a great marriage goal – here’s some other marriage goal suggestions).
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Active hobbies for couples you can do indoors
One of the disadvantages of active hobbies is that when the rain comes down, your hobby can take a hiatus. These couple’s hobbies still keep you active, but can be done indoors.
- Badminton. Badminton is an easy racket sport which requires minimal equipment. While you can play with just the two of you, it’s also a fun social game.
- Bowling. Whether you want to play 10 pin bowling at a bowling alley or get into indoor bowls, you’re guaranteed to have a lot of fun. You can even join a club to make your hobby more social.
- Boxing. Want to get super fit and strong? Try boxing as a hobby. It’s physically demanding but also comes with many physiological and psychological benefits.
- Climbing. Indoor climbing walls make for a challenging hobby where you can get in a whole body workout.
- Dancing. Taking up dancing as a hobby will guarantee you can impress a crowd at your next party. You can increase your physical intimacy as you learn to move your bodies together. What’s not to love?
- Karate. If those seasons of Cobra Kai got you attempting to recreate the crane kick from the comfort of your living room, then why not take it to the next level and enroll in karate lessons?
- Pilates. If you’re wanting to increase your core strength and flexibility, Pilates could be the answer.
- Racquetball. If you’re after a hobby that gets your heart beating faster, your bones stronger, your hand / eye coordination better and is a whole lot of fun, then you’ll want to try raquetball.
- Squash. Although I include this one with trepidation because I have heard of more than one affair that started in a squash club. Strange but true.
- Swimming. A solo hobby you can do together, most towns have indoor swimming pools for your convenience. Swimming is much gentler on the body than many of the other active hobbies listed here, and as such is something you can enjoy the rest of your life.
- Table tennis. Table tennis is a fast paced game you can play with just the two of you or with another couple. If you get really into it you could have a table tennis table set up in your own house.
- Tai chi. This Chinese martial art can be taught for self defense but generally works on breathing, stretching, and core work – a kind of moving meditation!
- The gym. If you’ve ever joined the gym, you’ll know that getting there is half the battle. If the two of you make it a hobby, you’ll be able to encourage and support each other.
- Weightlifting. Weights are so important, especially as we get older. You can workout together and challenge each other.
- Yoga. If you both have stressful lives, and spend a lot of time sitting, then consider yoga as a hobby. It helps to improve your flexibility while calming your mind.
Active hobbies for couples you can do outdoors
One of the key things about active hobbies is they often lend themselves to events as well.
For example, you might decide that your couple hobby will be running. Not only will you run together on a regular basis, you can also enter and then train for specific events, from 5km runs to marathons.
You can also enter tournaments and the like. This way you hobby can help create a while new lifestyle where you meet and engage with people with common interests on a regular basis.
- Archery. Archery is a hobby with a long history. It’s also fabulous for upper body strength and focus.
- Claybird shooting. Get the adrenaline going without actually hurting a living thing. Claybird shooting is a competitive, fun hobby.
- Cycling. Cycling keeps you fit, is challenging, and exposes you to new places. If you’re a hater of head winds like I am, consider getting an e-bike for all the enjoyment with less of the effort.
- Fishing. If you want to spend hours in meditative silence, then have the thrill of catching your dinner, you might want to look at fishing as one of your couple’s hobbies.
- Golf. Golf is a great hobby that you can maintain throughout the years. It can keep you moving (providing you eschew the golf cart), is relaxing, and can also be very social. If you have a partner much better than you. that’s okay! You can focus on improving your own game while playing together.
- Hiking. Hiking is a fabulous way to keep fit, push yourself, and get out there in nature. The beauty of hiking is that you can plan short day hikes or longer treks. My husband and I did the Abel Tasman in New Zealand years ago now and it’s still one of our favorite vacations!
- Kayaking. If you love getting in the water and have close access to a lake or river, then kayaking is a great hobby. It also helps you work together!
- Rock-climbing. If the two of you love adrenaline and nature, then rock climbing might be where it’s at. You’ll work on your physical and mental toughness with this one.
- Running. Running is my pick of outdoor hobbies for couples, simply because it’s the one my husband and I have shared for the last 7 plus years, as I mentioned above. Running together is a great way to stay on track with your running goals, as it’s not so easy to beg off when someone else is counting on it. You can also sign up for events.
- Sailing. Sailing is fun and sociable – and also expensive! You’ll want to spend some time learning the basics and renting some boats before you go all in on this one.
- Scuba diving or snorkeling. There’s a whole other world in the water, waiting for you to discover it. Check out snorkeling first and see what you both think and then take the plunge.
- Skiing or snowboarding. If you live close to the mountains, skiing or snowboarding can be a great hobby. There’s nothing like the feeling of heading home from work on a Friday, knowing the next day you’ll be hitting the slopes.
- Surfing. If you’re both keen swimmers with a love of the sea, then surfing will provide you with a challenging, enjoyable hobby. You’ll want to start with some lessons.
- Tennis. Play singles or doubles.
- Walking. Walking together gives you the chance to explore, get in nature, and talk to each other. This is also the perfect hobby if you have a furbaby or two.
At home hobbies for couples
Homebodies from way back? These couple’s hobbies can be done from the comfort of home.
- Baking. Ah, the hobby that keeps on giving. Baking together is not only a relaxing pastime, it also provides you with delicious, tasty treats to consume afterwards! Why not try one of these easy romantic desserts for couples for your first venture?
- Cheesemaking. You’ll need some instruction to start (a one day course should suffice), but if classes aren’t available, hop on to You tube and check out The Cheeseman: Gavin Webber.
- Crafting. Working together to create things is a productive and soothing hobby for couples. Knitting, sewing, weaving… the choice is endless.
- Create a book club for two. Make a list of books the two of you would love to read. They could be a combination of fiction and non fiction. Then take turns coming up the questions for that month’s book club. This is a great way to learn each other’s tastes, see how you think, and explore new topics together.
- Furniture making. You can make furniture for your own home or even start a side hustle. You can incorporate wood working or upholstery… enabling you to choose which part suits your particular strengths.
- Gardening. Gardening is good for your body and soul – and you can create something beautiful and / or productive in your home.
- Home improvement. Renovate a room or get into interior design, Work together to make your space more beautiful.
- Homesteading. If you’d love to be more self-sufficient, then homesteading might be for you. Start small with gardening, and then move into preserving before you go buying that hobby farm!
- Investing. Whether shares or property investment, you can have lots of fun and make money together through getting into investment. From online courses to in person seminars, there’s plenty of opportunities to learn.
- Jigsaw puzzles. If a soothing, sometimes frustrating hobby is what you’re after, jigsaw puzzles may be for you.
- Learn philosophy. Finally work out the meaning of life with this hobby!
- Movie watching. Make this one a little more intentional than simply sitting on the couch and watching Netflix. Instead look for themes such as romantic movies, or the top 10 movies of 1993, or whatever takes your fancy.
- Podcasts. My husband and I have had lots of fun with podcasts. Either we’ve listened to series OR used them as a chance to learn something new (such as the investing I mentioned above).
- Sports watching. If you’re like me, watching sports is a bit of a “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” situation, but it’s turned into a love. You can watch on tv or attend games live.
- Upcycling furniture. Take those furniture making skills and apply them to upcycling furniture. You can create creative and unique pieces with history for your home.
You might also like: Fun things for couples to do at home.
Creative hobbies for couples
Have a creative side waiting to be unleashed? Then you’ll love these creative hobbies that are perfect for two.
- Blogging. As a blogger, I can says blogging is a hobby that quickly takes over. There’s so much involved with blogging that doing it as a couple is an awesome idea. Many successful blogs are run by couples.
- Bonsai. The art of making bonsai has been around for 1000s of years. You only need a few tools to start this hobby, which does require some patience.
- Building models. Ships in a bottle? Miniature trains? Airplanes? You can use premade kits to make it more easy and still have the challenge of completing the task.
- Concrete crafts. Concrete can be used to make some truly stunning homewares. Buy your own inexpensive molds from places like Etsy. Again, this is another couple’s hobby that could become a fun side hustle.
- Cooking. Cooking is an extremely versatile hobby for couples. You can keep it super simple by buying a recipe book you both like the look of, and crafting a new dish together every week. Or you can take cooking classes online or in person, moving through different cuisines.
My husband and I always take a cooking class when we visit a new country. It’s a great way to meet people and learn the local cuisine. - Film festivals. Film festivals require a degree of commitment as you won’t have any control over when they are on. However they’re a fun way to get out an immerse yourself in another world. You can always go out afterwards and dissect the film.
- Landscaping. Landscaping takes gardening to the next level as you learn about the design aspect of making your garden stunning.
- Learning an instrument together. You could even start your own band!
- Learning a language together. You’ll have someone to practice with.
- Painting. I found it hard to elaborate on this because when it comes to art, I’m strictly stick-figure. But it works for some.
- Podcasting. Much like blogging, podcasting can be easier and more fun with two. You could even start a podcast on a different hobby you’ve started! (Did you know I have one for midlife women?).
- Pottery. Admit it – from the first time you watched the pottery scene in Ghost, you’ve had fantasies of you, your mate, and a wheel with a lump of clay on the top. Make your dreams a reality by taking some pottery classes with your significant other.
- Puzzles. Whether it’s cryptic crosswords, sudokus or the like, working on puzzles together is a fun activity for couples. It’s also a great one to do at night to unwind together – perfect of you’re looking for hobbies for couples that you can manage with a baby or small children.
- Writing: Craft your own great American novel together.
- You tubing: Add this to blogging and podcasting and you have the trifecta!
Games-based hobbies for couples
A little bit of competition can help keep things exciting! These game-based hobbies can work on so many levels – you can play against each other, challenge other players, or even play tournaments.
- Card games. There’s so many two player card games out there, making card games a hobby that’s real value for money.
- Board games. These ones are great for couples
- Catan. I love Catan for its combination of luck and strategy. It is totally possible to play with two players – check out how here.
- Chess. Binge watching The Queen’s Gambit back in 2021 got me super curious about this game. If you’re after a hobby where you can pretend to engage with each other while you scroll on your phones – this isn’t it!
Chess is the hobby that keeps on giving – you can learn about it, watch shows about it, and of course play it – either together or with others. - Dungeons and dragons. This legendary fantasy role-playing game is, at its heart, about story telling with a twist – the dice shape the consequences of your choices. You’ll want to check out Dungeon’s and Dragons website for everything you need to know to get started.
- Mahjong. Mahjong is an ancient and fascinating game. Although it’s best played with four players, it’s perfectly possible to play with two. You’ll find the rules for Mahjong here, as well as how to play with just you and your significant other.
- Murder mysteries. If you love to solve crimes or mysteries then you’ll want to check out this game.
- Poker. While more a team game, it is possible to play for two (here’s how). You can play poker with friends and geek out at poker tournaments.
- Scrabble. Try putting a twist on this game… you can try dirty scrabble for instance!
- Video games. A fun session playing together is a great hobby to have to unwind after a busy day.
Social hobbies for couples
Sometimes you want to make your world a little bigger. If you’re part of an introverted couple like I am, you’ll get your social fill from hobbies that have other people around but you don’t have to get too involved with. If you’re extroverted, you’ll love these opportunities to connect with others.
- Adult education classes. Make a decision to learn something new every year together. If you’re introverted like me, you’ll enjoy working alongside others while doing your own thing.
- Attending live events. From sports to performances, live events are another way of being with others while keeping to yourself. They’re my favorite way to feel part of something.
- Being part of a quiz or trivia team. Finally put that knowledge of 1970s one-day cricket matches to the test by being part of a quiz team. When you’re not actively playing, you can be increasing your knowledge.
- Book clubs. Although not as popular as they were in their heyday, book clubs are still around. The challenge will be finding one that isn’t all women!
- Bridge. Bridge is intellectually challenging AND inherently social – you need to play in a team.
- Camping. Indulge in your love of the great outdoors by taking up camping as a hobby. Though it is possible to keep to yourselves when camping, you’ll find that boondocking in popular places or hanging out in campgrounds is extremely social. People open up to all kinds of conversations and it’s a great opportunity to meet people from all walks of life.
- Car clubs. Have a passion for a particular make or era of cars? Car clubs are super social, with most having rallies you can enjoy on a regular basis.
- Dinner parties. If you have a love of cooking and entertaining, why not bring back the dinner party? You can make them a regular event among friends. You could even get them started with progressive dinners.
- Fundraising. Support a cause you care about by helping them raise much needed funds.
- Joining a walking group. Make your walking practice sociable by joining a walking group. It will help keep you both motivated to exercise as well.
- Joining the Society for Creative Anachronism. The what you say? It’s an inclusive community pursuing research and re-creation of pre-seventeenth century skills, arts, combat and culture. Learn more here.
- Playing in a mixed social sports team such as basketball. Keep fit and meet others.
- Singing in a choir. Only for those who can hold a tune, singing in a choir gives you belonging and connection – plus often the chance to share your gifts with others.
- Tailgating. Kind of the opposite of dinner parties though with the same underlying principle – food, family and friends. Check out these tailgating recipes.
- Volunteering. Give up your leisure time to provide practical support for an organization or cause you’re passionate about. We often make friends with people who share our values, something fellow volunteers are sure to have.
Unique hobbies for couples
Want to try a couple’s hobby that’s a little different? How about some of these unique hobbies?
- Astronomy. Lying on a blanket outside, looking at the stars, is a super romantic thing to do with your partner. You can make it even MORE so by weaving in your knowledge of astronomy and searching for the various constellations. You can also have fun date nights at local observatories.
- Birdwatching. If you’re a patient nature lover, this one may be for you.
- Coffee. Coffee is a fun and inexpensive hobby that has many perks (did you see what I did there) beyond simply imbibing a cup. You can attend coffee events and explore different cafes and coffees around the world.
- Collecting. From antiques to zoo memorabilia, collecting together is an engaging and motivating hobby. You can spend your time searching online for the items you’re collecting, physically visiting places to add to your collection, and working on presenting your collection. You also have the opportunity to join clubs with like-minded people who share your love for your collectables.
- Eating. Okay, this is a little more complex than it would suggest from the name alone. You and your significant other could make it a mission to check out particular restaurants, cuisines, or discover local eateries by trying a new place once a week.
- Foraging. Foraging is when you search for, identify, collect and usually eat wild food. It’s advisable to start this one by taking some classes so you don’t put your health at risk.
- Genealogy. Sign up for a genealogy website and see what you can discover. You can submit a DNA sample in order to find relatives past and present. This is an especially meaningful hobby if you have children.
- Geology or rock collecting. Grab a small geologist’s hammer (aka Shawshank) and see what you can find! You might even develop a spin-off hobby into minerals, gemstones or jewelry making.
- History. Curious about Regency England now you’ve binge-watched Bridgerton? Or have always had an interest in Ancient Greece? Learn about it together!
- Meditating. Take classes together and then develop your own at-home practice.
- Road tripping. Road trips are lots of fun. If you’re lucky enough to live centrally to a large number of locations like we do, why not try road tripping as a hobby? Weekends can be spent exploring new places, and you’ll enjoy the chance to talk, sing and laugh together on the way.
- RVing. This is the next level up from road tripping! My husband and I have an RV and it’s an awesome hobby. We’re either on a trip or planning our next one. And the best part for us is that we can take our dogs. While an RV is a significant investment, it’s an incredible way to travel and see your country.
- Studying together. I started my Masters part time when my husband finished his degree and then did his teacher training and can therefore vouch that studying together is a great way to support each other when you’re working towards a further qualification. You have someone to bounce ideas off and you can set up your environment for success.
- Theatre. Attending the theatre gives you the opportunity to experience talent from the local to the international. Checking out a new production every week or month will never get dull.
- Traveling. In between trips, you can keep the travel fire alight by researching potential destinations. Much like RVing, travel can be the kind of hobby where you’re either planning it or doing it.
Now if you’ve been an astute counter, you’ll know that this list is 100 hobbies. For the 101st, I’ve saved the best for last – to make each other your hobby.
By that, I mean you can spend your time learning more about each other (working through these questions for couples is a great way to start), planning fun date nights together, or working on increasing your physical intimacy.
You can plan fun ways to build connection and make meaning through couples rituals. You can share marriage books, do marriage challenges, set marriage goals, and aim to make your marriage the very best it can be!
Regardless of what hobby you choose, by developing a mutual interest, you’ll not only get all those benefits from hobbies that I mentioned above, but you’ll also create a strong bond between the two of you.
Which one of these hobbies for couples do you intend to try?