25 Things to Do on FaceTime With Your Partner When You're Bored

On FaceTime, try drawing each other, cooking the same meal, playing two truths and a lie, or planning your next visit. Choose a five-minute game, a quiet shared task or a longer date to match the energy you both have. You don't need a new subscription or an elaborate setup. The 25 ideas below tell you what to bring, how long to allow and exactly how to start.

These work for calls with your boyfriend, girlfriend or partner. Most also work on any video-calling app. A quiet call isn't automatically a bad call; an activity is simply an option when you want something to do together besides recapping the day.

We make DreamDuo. Timings are suggestions, not requirements.

What are you up for tonight?

Pick one setup that fits your energy. Instructions and supplies are listed below.

Draw

Paper and a pen. One minute, no looking at the page.

Cook

An easy recipe. Different kitchens, same first step.

Ask

One question. Both answer, then ask a follow-up.

Watch

A title you can both access. Check it before date night.

Plan

One future adventure. Choose a small first step.

Five-minute games when you want a quick laugh

1. Draw each other without looking at the page

Bring: Paper and a pen. Time: 5 minutes. Set a one-minute timer and draw your partner while looking only at their face. Reveal the pictures together. Give your portrait a ridiculous museum title instead of trying to make it good.

2. Guess the object by its sound

Bring: Three safe household objects each. Time: 5 minutes. Move one object out of view and make a sound with it, such as opening a zipper or tapping a mug. Give your partner three guesses, then swap roles.

3. Defend a harmless hot take

Bring: One opinion each. Time: 5 minutes. Choose something low-stakes, such as the best breakfast food or a song you never skip. Give each person 30 seconds to make their case. Avoid using the game to reopen a real disagreement.

4. Find something in your room

Bring: Whatever is nearby. Time: 5 minutes. Ask for something blue, something older than your relationship and something that makes you smile. Take turns explaining one item. Skip anything private or out of reach.

5. Play two truths and one tiny lie

Bring: Three small facts about your week. Time: 5–10 minutes. Make two true and invent one. Guess the lie, then ask about a true detail you hadn't heard. Keep the invented fact playful rather than something that could worry your partner.

Creative dates with something to show at the end

6. Paint the same ordinary object

Bring: Paper and any drawing materials. Time: 15–25 minutes. Choose a mug, a plant or a photo you can both see. Draw it in your own style, then compare the detail you each noticed first. Pens work if neither of you has paint.

7. Cook the same simple meal

Bring: An agreed recipe and ingredients. Time: 30–45 minutes. Choose a dish that fits both kitchens and budgets. Read the steps before calling, prop the phone away from heat and water, then start with the same first step. Eating together counts even if the results look different.

8. Make a six-song playlist

Bring: A music app or a written list. Time: 15 minutes. Each nominate a song for a future road trip, one for a difficult day and one that reminds you of the other person. Explain your choices. You can exchange links and listen separately if shared playback isn't available.

9. Build a story one sentence at a time

Bring: A note to record the story if you want. Time: 10–15 minutes. Begin with “We missed the last train, and then…” Alternate sentences until you reach an ending. You can introduce one new character each; no one gets to undo the other's sentence.

10. Give a household object a new job

Bring: One ordinary object each. Time: 10 minutes. Invent an advertisement for a spoon, sock or cardboard box used for something entirely different. Spend two minutes preparing, then deliver your pitch. Make the invention imaginary rather than trying anything unsafe.

Low-energy calls when you're both tired

11. Have tea at the same time

Bring: A drink you already have. Time: 10–20 minutes. Put the phone down where you don't have to hold it. Share one thing that occupied your mind today, then allow pauses. You don't need a game to justify staying on the call.

12. Read a short passage to each other

Bring: A book you own or a public-domain text. Time: 10–15 minutes. Choose a short passage, read it aloud privately, then swap. Ask what image or sentence stayed with them. Pick something brief enough that it feels like sharing rather than a performance.

13. Do a quiet household task together

Bring: Laundry, dishes or a desk to tidy. Time: 15–20 minutes. Agree that neither person needs to keep looking at the camera. Start the tasks together and catch up as you go. Don't take silence as a cue to produce another topic immediately.

14. Show three photos from your week

Bring: Photos you're comfortable sharing. Time: 10 minutes. Pick one ordinary moment, one thing you enjoyed and one detail your partner would otherwise miss. Hold up the photo or send it before the call. Check the background for anything private first.

15. Share a window view

Bring: A place where you can sit comfortably. Time: 5–15 minutes. Show the sky, a plant or the street without revealing anyone's private information. Describe what your partner can't hear or smell. This is especially nice when you're experiencing different seasons.

Virtual date nights that need a little planning

16. Try a two-course snack tasting

Bring: One familiar snack and one new-to-you snack each. Time: 20 minutes. Agree on a modest spending limit or use food you already own. Describe the texture and choose which one you'd serve the other person. Check ingredients against your own dietary needs.

17. Have an album-listening date

Bring: An album you can both access. Time: 30–50 minutes. Pick a starting track and count down to play, or use a supported shared-listening feature. Pause between a few tracks to compare favorites. Headphones help avoid feeding the music back into the call.

18. Watch one episode together

Bring: A title both people can legally access. Time: One episode. Check availability before date night. If your devices and app support SharePlay, use that; otherwise start playback together and keep the call on another device if available. Don't assume screen sharing will work for protected video.

19. Ask one question and follow the story

Bring: A single prompt from our daily questions for long-distance couples. Time: 10–20 minutes. Each answer, then ask one follow-up before moving on. Choose a funny or light prompt if either person is tired.

20. Dress for an imaginary destination

Bring: Clothes you already have. Time: 20–30 minutes. Pick a destination such as a seaside café or a snowy cabin. Put together an outfit, choose a snack and describe one thing you'd do there together. Buying anything is optional.

Future-planning activities with a small next step

21. Choose a one-day adventure

Bring: A map or browser. Time: 15–20 minutes. Choose one place near either partner's home. Find one activity, one meal option and a rough spending limit. Save the plan for your next visit instead of trying to organize an entire holiday.

22. Make a three-item shared bucket list

Bring: A shared note or DreamDuo. Time: 15 minutes. Each propose one inexpensive idea, one skill to learn and one bigger experience. Choose three together. Add a first step to the idea you could try soonest; leave the others as possibilities.

23. Plan the first hour of your next visit

Bring: Your likely arrival time. Time: 10 minutes. Decide where to meet, what to eat and whether you want an activity or a rest. Use our next-visit checklist and budget when you're ready to plan the rest.

24. Teach one small skill

Bring: Something you know how to do with supplies both people have. Time: 15–25 minutes. Show a basic drawing technique, a phrase in a language you speak or a simple folding trick. Ask your partner to teach something next time. Keep the first attempt small enough to finish on the call.

25. Design your ideal ordinary Sunday

Bring: Paper or a note. Time: 15 minutes. Each describe morning, afternoon and evening, including time alone if you'd want it. Compare what overlaps. Choose one part you could recreate at a distance this weekend.

A simple way to choose tonight's activity

Each pick one idea you're up for and one you're not. If your energy differs, choose the shorter option and save the longer date for a time you both want it. A planned 10-minute tea call can be more enjoyable than a 90-minute date one person is struggling to stay awake for.

For more ideas beyond a video call, browse our 40 couples bucket-list ideas. If the real obstacle is finding a shared time, try the three time-zone routines.

FaceTime practical questions

Can we watch a movie together on FaceTime?

Yes, when your devices and a compatible app support SharePlay and both people have the required access. Availability can differ by title and region. Check Apple's SharePlay guidance before choosing a paid service for the date. You can also use separate playback with a countdown.

Do these activities need two Apple devices?

Most don't use any FaceTime-specific feature. Drawing, questions, cooking and planning can happen over the video-calling service you both already use. Shared media playback has its own device and app requirements.

What can we do without spending money?

Start with the drawing game, photo exchange, story game, tea call or three-item bucket list. Use supplies you already have and skip any activity that needs a purchase.