79 Hobbies to Do with Your Spouse

Married couples need to have some fun together! And one of the best ways to do that is to find hobbies to do as a couple.

We’ve had some heavy weeks at To Love, Honor and Vacuum lately, and so I thought it was time to revisit one of my favourite posts ever and run it again, with some fun changes, so it could be higher up in the queue!

Let’s emotionally connect and have fun together again! No matter where you are in your marriage, you need some hobbies! A hobby is simply an activity or pursuit that you do together. And during COVID, we all could use some new ideas, too.

And thanks to Responsival for sponsoring this post!

And hobbies can bring couples close because of two communication principles:

It is often easier to communicate side by side, when you’re doing something, than it is to try to communicate face to face.When we spend more time together with shared activities (like hobbies!), then we build up goodwill, which makes it easier to tackle some of the bigger problems in marriage.

We all need shared activities, because that builds shared memories. You feel more like a team. You start chatting again (and the more you talk about little things, the easier it is to talk about big things!). And you laugh. Whenever you laugh together, walls come down. Tension dissipates. And you feel close. Often those petty things that bug you about each other seem to disappear!

Besides, it’s just plain fun to share hobbies as couples.

It’s fun to spend time away from a screen. It’s fun to build a memory or be productive or experience something new. And it’s fun to learn together! Here’s the neat thing about pursuing hobbies as a married couple, too: you don’t each have to love it to the same extent. The goal is not the hobby itself. The goal is spending time together and having those opportunities to laugh and chat. My husband and I go birdwatching. I enjoy it. It gets me outdoors; we get some exercise hiking; I learn more about photography.

But Keith will trek 2 miles through brush to sit still at dawn in the hopes that it might be a king rail. He will stand still at the base of a tree for 10 minutes to verify whether that was a white throated sparrow or a white crowned sparrow. He is WAY more into it than I am. But we still go birdwatching together, because I’m in it for the memories, not just for the birds. And when he wants to do something intense with counting birds, he goes without me.

I’m going to share a whole bunch of ideas for hobbies you can pursue together. Take this post as more of a brainstorming session. Maybe something I’ll mention will twig something in your brain and you’ll find an entirely different hobby to share with your husband! But what I’d recommend is this:

Finding a Hobby to Do as a Couple Look through this list and identify 3 hobbies you’d like to start with your husband.Have your husband look through the list and identify 3 hobbies he’d like to start.Exchange lists and choose one on the other person’s list that you’d enjoy, too.Choose one to start first!

A Comprehensive List of Hobbies for CouplesDownload this list to your phone or computer right now! Then you can talk it over with your spouse together.

 

Outdoorsy Hobbies for Couples HikingBirdwatchingFishingHuntingSnowmobilingKayakingCanoeingSailingWindsurfingGolfing

TennisBikingJogging/Training for MarathonJoining a co-ed sports league: basketball, baseball, soccer, etc.SkiingTarget practiceRock climbing (on real rocks)PhotographyMetal detectingForaging (for wild mushrooms or other edibles)

My son-in-law David is really into foraging, especially mushrooms, and i want to join him in that this spring because I just love the idea of eating off the land as much as possible. Plus apparently some of the mushrooms taste really good! (and, yes, he knows how to tell the difference with the poisonous ones). We bought him a dehydrator for Christmas, too, so he can preserve some of them.

Domestic Hobbies for Couples to do Together GardeningCooking (cook something gourmet once or twice a week together)Homesteading (where you try to become self-sufficient in some food products)Home improvement/painting

I’m already planning out my garden for the spring! I love growing herbs, and I dried and preserved so many last year, and made a ton of pesto.

Even if you’re in an apartment, you can make a balcony garden! But I love this garden tower for a house, too, because creating raised beds can be a hassle, and this I can put right on my deck and see it as I have my tea in the morning and it just makes me happy. Creating pestos and teas and salsas and hot sauces out of your produce can be another hobby you can do together.

And, seriously, it’s amazing how much you can grow in one of these garden towers!

And planning the garden can be so much fun as well. The yield on these towers can be incredible. Do you want to do herbs? Salad greens so you have fresh greens every night? Tomatoes or peppers? I’m planning on a variety of hot peppers myself!

Sporty Indoor Hobbies for Couples

 

Working out/weightliftingYoga for couplesAquafitRacquetball/SquashSwimmingBowlingRock climbing (at an indoor club)Ballroom dancingIrish dancingSquare Dancing/Line DancingZumba classes

 

Keith and I take ballroom dancing classes online, even during COVID! Before the last cruise we took, we learned the chacha really well, along with reviewing the foxtrot and the swing. And it’s just fun to do for 15 minutes a night. Each video is only 3-5 minutes long, and they teach you one thing at a time. We really enjoy it!

And Connor just went rock climbing again this weekend for the first time in, well, forever! The COVID lockdown is over here, and a new rock climbing gym opened in our hometown right before COVID hit. He’s determined to use it enough to keep it open! When Rebecca and he were first married, they loved rock climbing together (and they will again!).

Rebecca and Connor at the rock climbing gym!

 Events to Attend Together NASCAR racesSporting events, especially more minor league local onesPlays, dance performances, or comediansMusic performances: symphonies, bands, worship groupsSpecial museum or art gallery exhibitsFilm festivals or film clubs

These may be all closed for the foreseeable future, but when they reopen, consider season’s tickets for something. It gets you deliberate date outings, and it supports something in your community.

Games Hobbies for Couples

 

Chess leaguePuzzlesBoard game club (even start your own)!Euchre club (host your own euchre parties)Bridge clubStrategy video game (my husband play just one game of Crusader Kings and it lasts for several months!)

We’ve also got a board game cafe in our hometown, which are getting increasingly popular. Go out to play a board game, and you can try new ones and figure out which ones you like!

Educational Hobbies for Couples

 

Touring art galleries and nearby historical sitesLearning local history and becoming tour guidesTracing your family treePlanning an educational trip, like a rainforest trip to learn about nature or a European trip to trace some World War II battles. Do research together beforehand.Touring wineries

Income Producing Hobbies as a Couple Refinishing furniturePainting furnitureBuilding furnitureYard sale/flea marketing and find items to refinish or repurposeStarting an etsy or ebay businessStarting a blog on a topic you both enjoyPhotography/VideographyCatering

Does your marriage need some spicing up–and some fun?

Try these 24 dares–plus one bonus–to take your marriage to the next level!

Let's add some heat! Things to Start Collecting as a Couple Art by a certain artistLocal artStamps or coinsSea glass/seashells/driftwoodOld books, magazines, or comic booksMemorabilia from a certain period/cultural trend/historical event

Then attend auctions, visit flea markets, spend time searching online together!

Looking for a way to spend time together? Here’s 79 different hobbies you can do as a couple! 

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Classes to Take Together Cooking, including specific cuisinesComputer SoftwareInvestingFinancial Planning Natural Health/HerbsTheology

Places to Volunteer Together At church: in worship, youth, building upkeep, finances, anythingAt a local arts organization–a local theatre, a local dance troupe, a local symphony, a museum, an art galleryAt a youth organization–Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Big Brothers or Big Sisters, a local schoolAt a nursing home/old age homeAt a hospital doing visitationAt a food bank or other outreach centreAt a refugee welcome centre

So there’s my list–what would you add to it?

Remember–Download this list RIGHT NOW to your computer or phone so you have it handy to talk to your spouse about!

Of course, some things feel like they should be on the list, but they’re not technically hobbies. Going out to the local gelato shop, for instance, is awfully fun! So is hanging around a fun local bookstore and having a coffee.

Whatever you choose, though, just find something that you can do at least on a weekly basis. When the kids are little, it’s likely easier to try something you can do at home, like taking some online classes together or learning something new or something domestic. Or try something outdoorsy where the kids can come along, like hiking or searching for sea glass. And as they get older, it will be easier for you to find new hobbies to do with your husband, too! It’s a great way to invest in each other, and in a strong marriage!

So let me know–any hobbies you’d add? I’ll keep the list updated!

Like this post so far? You should also check out:

One Thing Most Couples Get Wrong about Date Night

79 Hobbies To do as a Couple

50 Conversation Starters for Couples

10 Ways to Signal Yes to Your Husband

Sheila Wray Gregoire

Founder of To Love, Honor and Vacuum

Sheila has been married to Keith for 28 years, and happily married for 25! (It took a while to adjust). She’s also an award-winning author of 8 books, including The Good Girl’s Guide to Great Sex, and a sought-after speaker. With her humorous, no-nonsense approach, Sheila is passionate about changing the evangelical conversation about sex and marriage to line up with kingdom principles. ENTJ, straight 8 FacebookTwitter Related Posts What if You’re Sabotaging Yourself with the “Duty Sex” Message?

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