# Any fun things to do as a couple while stuck at home?



## theloveofmylife (Jan 5, 2021)

While stuck at home during the Covid garbage, what are you and your SO doing for fun? What do you do for "date night" or just to switch things up from the same old, same old, monotonous daily routine? 

Do you find that you get on each others nerves or that you get along even better? For us, it's been a bit of both.


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## maquiscat (Aug 20, 2019)

theloveofmylife said:


> While stuck at home during the Covid garbage, what are you and your SO doing for fun? What do you do for "date night" or just to switch things up from the same old, same old, monotonous daily routine?
> 
> Do you find that you get on each others nerves or that you get along even better? For us, it's been a bit of both.


Right now we are prepping to move so lots to keep us busy. We have certain shows we watch as a family. And we have our boardgames. The ladies have their crafting, and us guys play our video games.

We've been lucky. Those of us who work are all considered essential. So the husband still goes to the shop (he makes transformers, including the ones for medical equipment), the one wife can telecommute, going in occasionally to man phones or exchange work (state government office) and I drive trucks regionally. 

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## Diana7 (Apr 19, 2016)

We are both retired anyway so are together most of the time. We get along great. Get out for good walks or cycle or run. Play board games, read, watch good tv programmes together. 
We dont have much spare time as we help and support a family member and her toddler, and because we are all very limited right now as to what we can do being on our 3rd strict lockdown, we spend quite a lot of time together. Believe me, you cant feel bad or sad with a cute little toddler around.


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## theloveofmylife (Jan 5, 2021)

Thanks for the responses.

I think we;re just bored with TV, board games, and the one video game we play together. Been thinking about getting a console, but they are hard to find right after Christmas. 

We get along most of the time, but it seems like we both get a little more agitated when we're super bored.


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## happyhusband0005 (May 4, 2018)

We don’t really get on each others nerves. We are building a new house so we have been spending a lot of time on interior design. We live at the beach currently so we go walk on the sand and watch the crazy winter surfers if the weather is ok. Also been getting good use of our Netflix account. Just finished the show I’m Sorry which was very funny.


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## Diana7 (Apr 19, 2016)

happyhusband0005 said:


> We don’t really get on each others nerves. We are building a new house so we have been spending a lot of time on interior design. We live at the beach currently so we go walk on the sand and watch the crazy winter surfers if the weather is ok. Also been getting good use of our Netflix account. Just finished the show I’m Sorry which was very funny.


Well you are far more fortunate than most of you live at the beach. Are you both working?


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## ccpowerslave (Nov 21, 2020)

For actual date replacement here are a few things I have done:

Instead of walking in the neighborhood take a quick drive and walk at the beach or at some other location with enough space that is a bit unusual
Order pick up from local Michelin Star restaurant on the weekend and then spend a bunch of time at home trying to plate it properly. Ideally serve with wine from personal collection or restaurant.
Pick a movie and have it pre-purchased and selected. Get the best snacks you know your partner likes (for mine that would be popcorn and Red Vines). Write a handwritten invitation to go on a movie date and leave where they will find it. Have them write back if they will go with you via handwritten note or text.
Play a story based video game together.
Get decent massage oil and if possible a table and give partner your best effort, get them to make an appointment with you can be setup at the right time and they have time to shower and get ready. Bonus points for ordering spa products from her favorite hotel ex. Four Seasons, Rosewood, etc... get the full boat of slippers, robe, and towel set.
If you have a yard pick a landscaping project that includes planting new stuff and do it together.
Get a new recipe that looks good and order all the ingredients from a delivery service to show up before dinner. Cook it together.


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## happyhusband0005 (May 4, 2018)

Diana7 said:


> Well you are far more fortunate than most of you live at the beach. Are you both working?


Yep we both work her all from home, me mostly from home. We're renting at the beach while the new house gets built.


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## joannacroc (Dec 17, 2014)

My significant other is a 100 lb labrador. We like to play fetch and sometimes watch Big Bang Theory together. He thinks there should be more dogs in it but approves of the popcorn.


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## DownByTheRiver (Jul 2, 2020)

If you start feeling like you do need some company and you don't already have pets, this might be a good time to Foster some from the local animal shelter and help train them for adoption.


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## Girl_power (Aug 11, 2018)

A problem I had was that there was a lot of togetherness, but not any quality time so to speak. We just became lazy. 

I told him the other day that we should alternate setting weekly dates. So I plan this one, and he does next week... The rule is that we have to put effort into our looks, and put the phone away and have undivided attention and keep a positive attitude. The date I picked is that we are going skiing. I’ll think of a something romantic gesture to go along with it.


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## ccpowerslave (Nov 21, 2020)

Champagne bottle in the snow drift is a pro move.


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## Affaircare (Jan 11, 2010)

@theloveofmylife ,

You know what's funny? When I read the title of your thread, what I instantly thought in my head was "Oh my GOD there are a million fun things to do as a couple stuck at home!" and I actually really mean that. 

So far this year, my Beloved Hubby and I have instituted Taco Tuesday...which occasionally morphs into Nacho Tuesday if we feel like it. Well...then it morphed into him buying me REAL MARACAS so now I do the Taco Tuesday Dance. And I got a Taco Tuesday Cookbook from my co-workers for Christmas so we can try new and different kinds of tacos!

And that's only TUESDAYS! LOL. 

Let's see, we have binge-watched, but we tend to like to watch an entire series from beginning to end, and then WHILE we watch, we also research the actors, the topics, etc. so we can get more ideas. So for example, we are Mandalorian fanatics (as in... fans), but we also enjoy how it fits into the entire Star Wars lore. Thus, when there's a show, we also look up some of the other known characters, where it fits into the timeline and then where that might go as a story or what's happening behind the scenes while the main storyline goes on and this side storyline goes on. Know what I mean? 

We also do spiritual things together. Now I don't know about you and your hubby, but @Emerging Buddhist and I are not of the same religion or denomination or anything! So I go to Zoom church and then talk to him about it. He reads about meditation and talks to me about it. We feels stressed out about something and we take times of silence together. He tells me about his buddhist thoughts, and I tell him about my christian thoughts, and yet mostly both of our thoughts are about how to be more loving, compassionate, kind people in action. 

We exercise together. I am an insane competitor and Beloved Hubby was in the Army (so you KNOW he's high and tight). I do 100-mile challenges to walk 100 miles within a 3-month timeframe...it's super easy. But I do it to win the t-shirt . And we do 5k walks for charities or fundraisers. And I do pushups challenges. And tonight he walked 2.5 miles at his Army pace (he's about a foot taller than me, and lithe as a tiger), while I did my Fitness Marshall dance routine. But the point is, we SWEAT. And we talk about technique. And we stay fit together. 

We have a daily routine that encourages connection. We wake up and have coffee together while we read the news. We have lunch together on Facetime. We have a glass of wine after work and talk about our days. We eat together and spend the evening together. Every weekend we "do" something together: from Pizza Movie Night to planning something. One night we did an online Harry Potter Escape Room (that was fun!). Another time I got us "tickets" to a concert online and we put it up on the big screen tv! Our local ballet troupe did an online presentation of the Nutcracker and we got "tickets" to livestream that. We look for new hiking trails. We are hoping to go sledding here soon, and next weekend is WinterFest cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. We just "do" something. 

I will say this though... it's not like all these ideas just drop in our laps. We really make the effort to look for ideas, to talk to each other and say "Hey you wanna try ____?" Usually I can't honestly say that I thought of trying XYZ, but hey what the heck I'll give it a shot, right? Your worst case scenario, it will be a disaster and you'll laugh about it when you tell the grandkids! Best case scenario--it will be GREAT and you'll do it again!


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## hamadryad (Aug 30, 2020)

I'm essential and never spent a day sheltered, so I can't relay any experiences, but reading some of this scares the crap out of me...I think by the 3rd week Id be like Jack Nicholson in "The Shining"... 😂 

But I dunno....get out of the house, I guess...Get some fresh air...Go for a drive....Hike in the woods...I've never been of the mindset that it's healthy to be all in each others grille all the time, but for those that are happy doing it, this lockdown must be like a dream come true...I live in a state that has been more strict with the lockdown protocols, but it's not like you have to stay completely sheltered...There are many things you still can do...although most of it is outdoors and it's the winter(although it hasn't been really cold-not yet, anyway)

I thought I heard that divorces and breakups have hit record highs since the lockdown...I say that may be a warning for some folks to be aware of the possibilities, but I dunno....


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## RandomDude (Dec 18, 2010)

theloveofmylife said:


> Thanks for the responses.
> 
> I think we;re just bored with TV, board games, and the one video game we play together. Been thinking about getting a console, but they are hard to find right after Christmas.
> 
> We get along most of the time, but it seems like we both get a little more agitated when we're super bored.


Just get two controllers and get a few couch coop games from Steam, no need for console.


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## ah_sorandy (Jul 19, 2018)

Act like a normal 'happily married' couple and social distance in separate rooms.


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## Rowan (Apr 3, 2012)

Affaircare said:


> You know what's funny? When I read the title of your thread, what I instantly thought in my head was "Oh my GOD there are a million fun things to do as a couple stuck at home!" and I actually really mean that.
> 
> ......
> 
> I will say this though... it's not like all these ideas just drop in our laps. We really make the effort to look for ideas, to talk to each other and say "Hey you wanna try ____?" Usually I can't honestly say that I thought of trying XYZ, but hey what the heck I'll give it a shot, right? Your worst case scenario, it will be a disaster and you'll laugh about it when you tell the grandkids! Best case scenario--it will be GREAT and you'll do it again!



This. 👆

We have yet to come close to running out of things to do together. But I suspect that's mostly because we are both willing to give pretty much anything a shot. It's either something we end up loving or something we'll laugh about later. We genuinely like one another and enjoy each other's company, so we'll have that even if whatever we decide to go do is a bit of a bust. 

Our area isn't particularly tightly locked down, so we can still go shopping and visit restaurants if we'd like. And my husband and I both work full time, he entirely from home (for the last 5+ years) and me either in-office or remotely depending on corporate guidance and need. So, we're not completely isolated. But, with our weekends over the past year, we've also: Planned and executed our small wedding, moved and sold a home, planned a full kitchen remodel (work to be performed later), built a deck, done tons of yard work, explored several state/national parks, visited museums and gardens, kayaked the local canal, gone fishing and hunting, been to the range many times, played lots of board games, read dozens of books, binge watched several series, enjoyed making and eating hundreds of dinners together, found two new scotches and a new bourbon we both like, had numerous fires outside in our firepit, watched a whole lot of college football, been apple picking, visited several new-to-us farmers markets and pick-your-own farms. We also spend some time doing our own things while sitting together in our comfy home office. I'm studying German again, we've both started prepping for the PMP exam, and I'm looking into graduate schools.

If your area is tightly locked down, or you're uncomfortable interacting with other people right now, still keep in mind that Covid is not nuclear fallout. The outdoors is not your enemy. So, take advantage of it. Go outside. Take a walk or go for a drive. Explore the nearest state or national parks and historic sites. Walk through a historic cemetery. Go walk on the beach, go kayaking or boating or fishing if you have water nearby. Walk around the downtowns of whatever cute small towns are in your vicinity. If the weather is warm enough, take a picnic and a couple books and spread a blanket on the ground at a park to enjoy the sunshine. Go running or skiing or ice skating. If your area isn't completely locked down, find a drive-in theater or a balcony concert to attend. 

Get creative and get out of the house. Together.


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## Diceplayer (Oct 12, 2019)

We plan a date night at least once a week. Found out that strip Uno is fun. Instead of keeping score, whoever loses a round must grant a request of the winner, such as truthfully answering a question, removing an article of clothing or performing an act (usually sexual). Then we play another round.

We each have individual things we like to do. I just finished a day and a half detailing the car (which I enjoy) and she has some home and church projects going on. We have three grandkids who live close and we have had each of them come spend a day and a night with us individually and do the things they like to do.

We're starting to travel again (by car. I'm not ready for planes until I get a vaccine.) Went to Florida last November and going back this weekend. The sun and warm weather really lifts our spirits. Plus, it will be just the two of us so we're taking a bottle of wine for the jacuzzi tub, massage oil and all the toys so I think we'll pass the time nicely.


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## Nailhead (Sep 21, 2020)

theloveofmylife said:


> While stuck at home during the Covid garbage, what are you and your SO doing for fun? What do you do for "date night" or just to switch things up from the same old, same old, monotonous daily routine?
> 
> Do you find that you get on each others nerves or that you get along even better? For us, it's been a bit of both.


We have changed much of nothing. Sure, we go to a restaurant every now and then which is the same before COVID. We enjoy doing the same things before COVID. No reason to change anything.


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## maquiscat (Aug 20, 2019)

Diceplayer said:


> We plan a date night at least once a week. Found out that strip Uno is fun. Instead of keeping score, whoever loses a round must grant a request of the winner, such as truthfully answering a question, removing an article of clothing or performing an act (usually sexual). Then we play another round.


We done some strip modifying of various games. I even have rules for Strip Munchkin written down.

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## DownByTheRiver (Jul 2, 2020)

hamadryad said:


> I'm essential and never spent a day sheltered, so I can't relay any experiences, but reading some of this scares the crap out of me...I think by the 3rd week Id be like Jack Nicholson in "The Shining"... 😂
> 
> But I dunno....get out of the house, I guess...Get some fresh air...Go for a drive....Hike in the woods...I've never been of the mindset that it's healthy to be all in each others grille all the time, but for those that are happy doing it, this lockdown must be like a dream come true...I live in a state that has been more strict with the lockdown protocols, but it's not like you have to stay completely sheltered...There are many things you still can do...although most of it is outdoors and it's the winter(although it hasn't been really cold-not yet, anyway)
> 
> I thought I heard that divorces and breakups have hit record highs since the lockdown...I say that may be a warning for some folks to be aware of the possibilities, but I dunno....


Yeah, I think most people get "cabin fever" when they're locked up together too long. That's a term I first heard in Grand Lake, Colorado borne out of the long winters together when you can't easily get in and out. I mean, I can only relate it back to my childhood sleepovers when two girls would be all excited to have all that time together and then be good and sick of each other by time to go home.


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## theloveofmylife (Jan 5, 2021)

Wow, I really appreciate all the replies.



Girl_power said:


> I told him the other day that we should alternate setting weekly dates.


I like this!



ccpowerslave said:


> For actual date replacement here are a few things I have done:


Very cool. Thank you.



happyhusband0005 said:


> We're renting at the beach while the new house gets built.


I'm jealous!



RandomDude said:


> Just get two controllers and get a few couch coop games from Steam, no need for console.


Sweet! I'm going to check it out, thanks.



Affaircare said:


> And that's only TUESDAYS! LOL


Ha, I like your style. It's funny because we always joke about taco Tuesday because of a little place he used to get lunch that had it. I do taco Tuesday sometimes, but I haven't gotten nearly as creative with it. Good stuff.



Rowan said:


> We genuinely like one another and enjoy each other's company,


That's great. We do too. Things have just gotten quite boring lately, and I'm not at my creative best.



Rowan said:


> keep in mind that Covid is not nuclear fallout


Exactly. So tired of people acting like it is.



Rowan said:


> If the weather is warm enough,


In the teens (F), this morning.



Nailhead said:


> We enjoy doing the same things before COVID. No reason to change anything.


I wish. Lots of stuff closed (or shut down for good), cancelled, or limited.


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## theloveofmylife (Jan 5, 2021)

maquiscat said:


> We done some strip modifying of various games.


I'm thinking strip Twister lol.


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## DownByTheRiver (Jul 2, 2020)

Better turn the thermostat up!


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## Nailhead (Sep 21, 2020)

theloveofmylife said:


> I wish. Lots of stuff closed (or shut down for good), cancelled, or limited.


We have experience this as well. We did miss going to dinner theater of which we do 2-3 times a year. But we have been able to go to restaurants for date nights. We are not really movie goers. Binge watching and eating our dinner for a date night with a happy ending is what we do. So the lockdown has not affected that. We do like to get in the car with no particular destination in mind to see what we can find. That works out even in the limited capacity. Also, during the summer months our pool is available. So, lock us down and we will be swimming(skinny dipping) with adult beverages.


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## Diceplayer (Oct 12, 2019)

theloveofmylife said:


> I'm thinking strip Twister lol.


Too difficult to get your clothes off in those positions. Just start Twister naked.


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## heartsbeating (May 2, 2011)

theloveofmylife said:


> While stuck at home during the Covid garbage, what are you and your SO doing for fun? What do you do for "date night" or just to switch things up from the same old, same old, monotonous daily routine?
> 
> Do you find that you get on each others nerves or that you get along even better? For us, it's been a bit of both.


Reflecting on your question for our marriage, and first things that come to mind is basically a lot of conversation, and laughter. We discuss all sorts; serious topics, sometimes debate, sometimes ridiculous silly topics that are given far too much thought and typically with lots of laughing, things we have read, things we want to prioritize, all sorts. Otherwise, we're watching shows together (and with running commentary between us throughout zombie shows), watching youtube clips, playing video games and board games (finally been putting the chess board to good use), listening to and sharing music, walking the dogs, home projects etc. We also have our own interests where we do our own thing for a while. I don't think much has changed as far as how we get along. 

Other ideas for you might be cooking together, find new recipes to make. Or if you really wanted to put some effort into something different, you could set up a 'scavenger' hunt around your home. Or if your spouse is open to it, each write down ideas into a jar to randomly select.


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## heartsbeating (May 2, 2011)

Also, I'm a fan of snazzying up simple things. So with video games and for Batman's birthday (lock-down), I ordered a couple new games to play that day. I'd baked a birthday cake that morning, and turned the lounge room into the party-games room: decorations, bowls of candy, champagne and gin at the ready. He unwrapped the new games, and then I added a little something silly/extra for us to wear while playing the games. For the character car-racing game, he was donned with a frog hat and frog gloves, while I wore fox ears and tail, then for an anime-style fighting game, he then had to wear a punk-mohawk wig and I wore a disco headband. It was silly, and we were laughing (particularly with his). Did I mention champagne and gin?

Another time, he ordered dinner in from one of our fave restaurants which we plated (as already suggested).

In the past, Batman has created an indoor picnic for us. Another time, cooked us a delicious meal which he set up like a restaurant with table-cloth and such, followed with Casablanca and movie snacks at the ready. We like to eat! I've set up the lounge room as a dance-floor, and records at the ready.

I'm also sharing this idea (which I pinched from a TAM member) just to get the creative juices flowing. A few years ago, I set up 'clues' around our home for Batman to find. One clue had him putting on shoe covers as part of the fun, another to safety goggles, winding him around our home, discovering water pistols and then finally outside where a bucket of water balloons was ready for him. I was hiding with my own bucket of water balloons. After staying hidden for about 5 minutes, I heard nothing from him. I wondered if maybe he hadn't seen the water balloons and was looking for me. I ventured from my spot and couldn't find him. So like an idiot, I started calling out to him, haha. I went to check his water balloon bucket. It was still there. He predicted I would do this! I turned to my right and there he was, rising from his crouched position, laughing, and three water balloons coming my way. Screaming and laughing, I ran back to my post slightly drenched. We battled it out in the driveway with water pistols and balloons, and ran around until we were out of breath and water balloons. It was fun!

Hope this helps!


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## theloveofmylife (Jan 5, 2021)

DownByTheRiver said:


> Better turn the thermostat up!


haha!



Nailhead said:


> We do like to get in the car with no particular destination in mind to see what we can find.


We love doing this.



heartsbeating said:


> typically with lots of laughing


We laugh a lot too, and I'm thankful for that. Just lately, we seem to get bored more easily, so we need to find more fun.


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## theloveofmylife (Jan 5, 2021)

So, a little update. We bought some more board games. We jam and dance more often (good exercise too). We've been playing more video games and both just set up steam accounts (now to get some controllers). Also, plan to buy a horseshoes set and other outdoor stuff soon too, to have lots of active stuff to do (I hate sitting around).


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## GC1234 (Apr 15, 2020)

theloveofmylife said:


> While stuck at home during the Covid garbage, what are you and your SO doing for fun? What do you do for "date night" or just to switch things up from the same old, same old, monotonous daily routine?
> 
> Do you find that you get on each others nerves or that you get along even better? For us, it's been a bit of both.


Drink wine....lots of it.


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## theloveofmylife (Jan 5, 2021)

RandomDude said:


> Just get two controllers and get a few couch coop games from Steam, no need for console.


Been looking into this. Not exactly sure how it works for both of our accounts to use the TV at the same time so we can both be in the same room while playing. Any tips, please?


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## RandomDude (Dec 18, 2010)

theloveofmylife said:


> Been looking into this. Not exactly sure how it works for both of our accounts to use the TV at the same time so we can both be in the same room while playing. Any tips, please?


Couch coop games dont need two accounts, they are split screen or share the same screen. For examples, try Overcooked series, Tomb Raider guardian series, fighting games, and also Helldivers.

Highly recommend Helldivers and Overcooked, these two games have us both laughing and crying and screaming and having a blast of a time gaming together.


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## CharlieParker (Aug 15, 2012)

Hunt a Killer is awesome, if it's in the budget.


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## maquiscat (Aug 20, 2019)

theloveofmylife said:


> So, a little update. We bought some more board games. We jam and dance more often (good exercise too). We've been playing more video games and both just set up steam accounts (now to get some controllers). Also, plan to buy a horseshoes set and other outdoor stuff soon too, to have lots of active stuff to do (I hate sitting around).


Which board games did you get?

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## No Longer Lonely Husband (Nov 3, 2015)

Date night several times per week. we have a glass of wine in out hot tub almost every night prior to bed, and some nights it gets “interestingly fun”.


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## theloveofmylife (Jan 5, 2021)

RandomDude said:


> Highly recommend Helldivers and Overcooked, these two games have us both laughing and crying and screaming and having a blast of a time gaming together.


Sweet. Thanks for the tips. Sounds fun. 



CharlieParker said:


> Hunt a Killer is awesome, if it's in the budget.


I'll check it out, thanks. 🙂



maquiscat said:


> Which board games did you get?


Boggle, Cribbage, and Skipbo (i guess the last is actually a card game, and Cribbage is kinda both, but they are fun).



No Longer Lonely Husband said:


> Date night several times per week. we have a glass of wine in out hot tub almost every night prior to bed, and some nights it gets “interestingly fun”.


What I wouldn't give for a hot tub, lol.


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## maquiscat (Aug 20, 2019)

theloveofmylife said:


> Boggle, Cribbage, and Skipbo (i guess the last is actually a card game, and Cribbage is kinda both, but they are fun).


OK I am going to recommend some games. You might need to go to your friendly local gaming store for these.

Button Men
Codenames (any version)
Zombie Dice or any Steve Jackson dice games
Carcassonne
Castles of Mad King Ludwig
Palace of Mad King Ludwig
Circular Reasoning (strategy)
Ticket To Ride (any version)
Cottage Garden, Spring Meadow, Indian Summer
Cytosis
Dead Man's Draw
Drop It
Dungeon Academy
Any Funko game
Dwar7s Winter
Expancity
Fine Sand
Ice Cool (1 or 2)
Koi
Love Letter, Loot Letter,
Lovelace & Babbage
Match Madness
Any Fluxx
Pandemic (not the Legacy version unless you want to look at a long haul game)
Roll Player
Sagrada
Shobu (strategy)
SIlver (Bullet, Amulet, Dagger, Coin)
Slide Blast
Smash Up
Sorcerer City
Any Tiny Epic game
Tiny Towns
Unexploded Cow


For playing for laughs and enjoyment but not keeping score
Before There Were Stars
Dirty Minds
Cards Against Humanity
Superfight
Pitchstorm
Sparkle Kitty

Ok that was a lot. Sorry. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. All of the top group were designed for 2 or even 1 player play, but usually can accommodate more players. The second grouping is designed for at least 3 if not more players, but can be played by two just for the fun of what combinations can come up. If (and this offer is open to all) you need help with any of these game, let me know, and we can set up an online teaching session. You can also ask about any other board game as well. We are board game demonstrators. We work with and for several different companies to go to game stores and show off games, to help people learn how to play them and/or expose them to games they might not have otherwise noticed. We of course don't know them all, but we have a library of over 450 board games, plus their expansions.


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## theloveofmylife (Jan 5, 2021)

maquiscat said:


> Ok that was a lot. Sorry. And that is just the tip of the iceberg


Wow, thanks!


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