Do Babies Look Different in Stardew Valley? A Comprehensive Guide to Stardew Valley Babies

Yes and no. While you don’t get to customize your baby’s features in Stardew Valley, your children’s appearances are influenced by the genetics of your character and your spouse. This means there’s some variation, though it’s within a predetermined framework. The game’s system uses these parental traits to dictate the baby’s skin tone and hair color. So, while you won’t find wildly different looking babies running around Pelican Town, each in-game child does have a unique flair. The game has four distinct stages of growth for your children, and their appearance changes according to which stage they are at.

Understanding Stardew Valley’s Baby System

The baby in Stardew Valley has certain characteristics that are determined as soon as you get a “yes” from your spouse about having a child.

The Genetic Algorithm

Stardew Valley employs a simplified but effective genetic algorithm to determine your child’s appearance. The game considers the skin tone and hair color of both parents (your character and your spouse) and then combines them to generate a unique appearance for the baby. If both parents have the same skin tone, the baby will inherit that skin tone. If they differ, the baby will inherit one of the parent’s skin tones randomly. The same general principle also applies to the child’s hair color. The initial hair color will determine the child’s later appearance.

Baby Stages

There are four specific baby stages in the game, with each stage impacting the appearance of your child.

1. Stage One: Newborn – The baby is wrapped in a blanket. The color of the blanket is always green. The baby’s skin tone is either pink or brown. They spend their time in the crib at this point.

2. Stage Two: Crawling – The baby crawls around the house. The color of the baby’s clothing is always green. The baby’s skin tone is either pink or brown.

3. Stage Three: Walking – The baby walks around the house. The color of the baby’s clothing is always green. The baby’s skin tone is either pink or brown.

4. Stage Four: Toddler – The baby stays in this state permanently.

   • Girls: Girls wear purple with their hair in double buns. Their skin tone is either pink or brown.
   • Boys: Boys wear blue with spiky hair. Their skin tone is either pink or brown.

The Toddler Stage and Limitations

Children in Stardew Valley will never grow past the toddler stage. Once they reach this stage, their appearance is fixed, reflecting the genetic traits inherited from their parents. While this might seem like a limitation, it helps maintain the game’s balance and prevents the complexities of aging and raising children beyond a certain point.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Stardew Valley Babies

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about babies in Stardew Valley, addressing various aspects from conception to what happens if you choose not to have children.

1. How do I get my spouse to ask about having a baby?

After you go to bed for the night, your spouse has a 1/20 chance of asking if you want to have/adopt a child. You can answer “yes” or “not now.” Same-gender couples will adopt children, and opposite-gender couples will have biological children. You can only have two children, one male and one female.

2. What happens if I say no to having a baby?

If either you or your spouse says “no,” you will not have a child at that time. Your spouse may ask again in the future, but there’s no guarantee.

3. Can I have more than two children?

No. You are limited to having a maximum of two children in Stardew Valley. This limit is in place to maintain the game’s balance and prevent overcrowding of the farmhouse.

4. Do children grow up in Stardew Valley?

No. Children will never grow past the toddler stage (Stage 4). You will have the option to acquire a second child only after the first child has grown to the Toddler stage.

5. What happens if I divorce my spouse? What happens to the kids?

Any children the player may have had with their former partner will stay at the Farmhouse. Divorcing spouses has further consequences than just costing a ton of gold. The spouse that has been divorced will remember this, and they will treat the player differently.

6. Is it possible to get rid of my children in Stardew Valley?

Yes, though it’s a morally questionable act. By offering a Prismatic Shard to the Dark Shrine of Selfishness in the Witch’s Hut, you can permanently remove your children from the game, turning them into doves and setting them free.

7. Do birthdays matter for children?

No, children do not have birthdays in Stardew Valley. You can only give gifts to villagers that have birthdays. You can give any individual villager two gifts per week, plus a third on their birthday. The gift received for their birthday has a boosted effect on the gift’s friendship rating, so choose wisely. To gift someone an item, simply put it on the bar on your screen and then right-click on a villager.

8. How do I increase my friendship with my children?

Unlike other villagers, you cannot give gifts to your children to increase your friendship level with them. Instead, your spouse will comment on your parenting skills. Raising your friendship with your spouse will improve how they feel about your parenting skills.

9. Can I influence the gender of my baby?

No. The gender of the baby is determined randomly when the game decides to generate a child. There is no in-game mechanic to influence whether you have a boy or a girl.

10. Why is my baby the same skin color as my spouse, even though I have a different skin tone?

The game randomly selects one parent’s skin tone. If your spouse’s skin tone is chosen, the baby will inherit that skin tone. It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the game; it’s just the way the genetic algorithm works.

11. Does my spouse help with raising the children?

Yes, a happy spouse will help around the farm, which includes interactions with the children. A happy spouse might even say nice things about your children!

12. Can my children help on the farm?

No. Children in Stardew Valley are purely decorative and do not contribute to farm work. They remain in the toddler stage indefinitely and cannot perform tasks.

13. Do mods affect how babies look in Stardew Valley?

Yes, some mods can alter the appearance of babies. Modding communities often create custom content that includes new skin tones, hair colors, and clothing options for children. However, these are not part of the base game and require downloading and installing mods.

14. Can same-sex couples have children in Stardew Valley?

Yes, same-sex couples can adopt children in Stardew Valley. The process is the same as with opposite-sex couples: after marriage, your spouse will eventually ask if you want to have a child, and you can choose to say “yes” to adopt.

15. Are there any cutscenes or events related to having children?

Yes, there are a few cutscenes related to having children. These usually involve your spouse and can trigger after the birth of a child or during certain milestones.

Conclusion

While you can’t meticulously customize every aspect of your child’s appearance in Stardew Valley, the game’s system ensures that each child is unique, reflecting the traits of their parents. Understanding how the genetic algorithm works and what to expect during each stage of development can enhance your gaming experience and make your farm feel more like a home.

Learning more about game development and the impact of games on learning can be found at the Games Learning Society website, GamesLearningSociety.org, a valuable resource for educators and game enthusiasts alike.