Most of the couples activities that we’ve been talking about have taken us to a destination outside the house, that’s because it’s fun to get out of the house! But with the winter weather, it can be really great to stay inside while it’s stormy outside, or just drizzly, or windy, or really, really cold…

The simple act of playing cards together, sipping some hot cocoa, ( or whatever your favorite warm drink might be) and letting the rain fall or the wind blow outside while you’re playing together inside can be really fun.

There are so many card games, that you and your partner are sure to know how to play two or three, And of course trying to bring back the memory of some childhood card games and sharing them with your partner can be really enjoyable.

After a game or two of cards, you might pull out that old board game, or some word games, maybe you have a games room and there’s a ping-pong table in there.

Remember you’re playing games to have fun together, if it starts to become competitive, many times the fun is not there. There is a time and place to win, a time and place to be competitive, and a time and place to just be together and have fun without keeping score.

Here’s a great example; say you have a ping-pong table, you and your partner decide to play ping-pong and one of you has won a couple of games in a row, try switching the paddle to your other hand. Don’t even tell your partner, they might not notice! So for example if you’re right-handed and you’ve won the last two games, start the next game with the paddle in your left hand and notice if it evens out the game. Chances are there’ll be a lot more smiles and laughter. And what if you lose the next two games? Guess what, there are no losers when a couple is having fun together, everybody wins!

Everybody is used to being entertained by their television or their computer or telephone, let’s leave those things out of this Couple’s Activity.

Singles, this is for you too. Turn off the TV, turn off the computer, take your phone out of your hand and create some fun time for yourself, and think about what activities you would like to show a potential partner.

When you spend a little time by creating your own playtime, you will start thinking of other creative fun things to do, for example in between card games put on some music and dance in the living room, make some paper airplanes, grab a book that has short verses like a poetry book and recite to one another, and it’s always fun to play dress-up.

This is a great way to learn about your partner. You might discover your partner’s not really fun to play cards with because they can’t leave the competitive side alone. If that’s the case pick another game. Remember your partner is the one you’re going to be going to bed with later and by that time it’ll be way too late to explain why you were so determined to win all of the ping-pong games or win all of the card games or why you threw the Monopoly pieces across the room. Always make it fun, always forgive instantly, and ask yourself ( while playing with your partner), ”am I engaged in an act of love?”