In our day and age, sometimes it can seem like sex is the biggest, most important way to show someone special that you appreciate them or love them. The songs on the radio, tv shows and numerous romantic comedies we encounter all around us often place such an emphasis on sex as the main form of intimacy, but it’s important to remember that this isn’t always the case.
Sometimes, you may have an asexual partner or a partner who may have trouble with sex due to previous trauma. Sometimes your partner may be dealing with their monthly menstruation and may not be okay with having sex that week. In other cases, your partner may just appreciate a cute show of affection some days or something creative on your part that shows them you really care for them.
Below are some ideas for things to do with your partner that don’t require sex. This is not a comprehensive list, by any means, but it’s a great place to start:
1. Movies and Cuddles— the less sexual version of Netflix and Chill
If it’s a rainy day, it’s been a long week, or you’re just looking to warm your partner’s heart with a nice night in that doesn’t necessarily revolve around ending with sex, look no further. Sometimes all your partner needs is a good few hours of cuddles and their favorite movies to show them how much you love them. It’s simple and totally effective.
2. Slow dancing featuring your favorite songs
A great, and super cute, way to show your partner some love without sex is to put on your best love songs and dance around the house with them. I know it sounds cheesy, but just think how spontaneous and adorable it would be if your partner surprised you with a dance party for two. You’re guaranteed to laugh, have fun and feel the love between each other all night.
3. Cooking together
Everybody loves food, plus cooking together can be a great way to not only bond, but also improve your culinary skills. Get on Pinterest together and find a recipe, go out to the store and get some ingredients and then get cooking! Here’s another great time too to put on some music and dance and laugh together while you try something new.
4. Building a fort
Here’s an awesome way to relive your childhood while having a fun time with your partner. All you need are some sheets or blankets, a sense of adventure and a good attitude. Build your fort, pile in some snacks and pillows, and then tell each other stories or watch movies on a laptop to have a lovely, sex-free time together.
5. A scenic car ride
If you’ve got some extra gas money, a nice way to spend time with your partner is to take a drive through some pleasant scenery with your favorite songs playing. You could also do this on a road trip by taking the longer, more scenic route home. The landscapes, tunes and potential hand holding while your partner is driving makes for a great time together.
6. Running errands together
I know what you’re thinking – this sounds mundane. However, doing errand together can be way more fun than doing them on your own. Plus, accomplishing things together will give you both a sense of pride and confidence that you can feel as a unit. Additionally, running errands together can make for some cute intimacy options like hand holding, pushing store carts together, quick coffee stops, etc.
7. Drawing on each other or painting on each other’s bodies
This is yet another super cheap, beautiful way to bond with your partner. Bonus, if you’re not super artistic this will ultimately make for a night full of laughter together. All you need is some washable paint or even just a pen to stay in with your partner and have an intimate moment of getting to artistically represent them in a drawing or painting you do on their body.
8. A good old-fashioned date
This sounds pretty simple, but our society tends to forget that this is something you can do with your partner to show them you love them. You can go to a park, a fancy dinner, the zoo, etc. All this takes is a cute plan and whatever fits your budget. From there, you can show your partner how much you love them by taking them along for the ride and showing them a great time.
Though this is just a short list of ideas, there are clearly several ways to show your partner you love them other than sex. You can go with one of these or come up with something on your own – either way, your partner will definitely appreciate doing something like this every now and then instead of just hooking up. Or, if they’re okay with just hooking up, one of these ideas would always be a great way to lead into that and really show them some additional appreciation. Whatever the case, just always keep in mind that there’s more ways to bond with someone than just sex.