When to Age Up Your Baby in The Sims 4: A Comprehensive Guide

So, you’ve welcomed a tiny Sim into your virtual world! The question now is: when should you age them up to the next life stage? The beauty of The Sims 4 lies in its flexibility. There’s no right or wrong answer, but rather a spectrum of choices depending on your playstyle and the story you want to tell. Here’s a breakdown to help you decide.

The Newborn stage in The Sims 4 is admittedly brief. Newborns automatically age up into Infants within one Sim day. You also have the option to age them up manually at any point during that single day by clicking on the newborn and selecting “Age Up.”

The Infant stage, introduced with the dedicated Infants update, is where things get more interesting. Infants are far more engaging than the previous baby stage, offering a wealth of interactions and milestones to achieve. Infants will age up into Toddlers on their own after a certain period, or you can again manually age them up sooner by clicking on the infant and selecting “Age Up.”

Therefore, the key question is: how much do you want to engage with the Infant stage? If you’re eager to move on and explore the challenges of raising a toddler, you can age up your infant as soon as you feel ready. If, however, you’re enjoying helping your infant reach their milestones and exploring all the new gameplay features, you might want to let them stay an infant for the full duration of the life stage. The game is what you make it.

Consider these factors when making your decision:

• Milestone Completion: Infants have a robust set of milestones related to their Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Social, Life, and Firsts categories. If you enjoy completing these goals and seeing your infant progress, you might want to wait until you’ve achieved a significant number of them before aging up. There are 31 milestones in total to unlock.

• Caregiver Burnout: Infants require a lot of attention. If you find yourself getting overwhelmed by their needs, don’t hesitate to age them up sooner rather than later. There’s no shame in prioritizing your own enjoyment of the game.

• Storytelling Potential: Consider how the infant stage fits into your overall narrative. Are you creating a rags-to-riches story where a family struggles to care for their child? Or a lighthearted sitcom where a parent juggles work and childcare? The length of the infant stage can influence these narratives.

• Lifespan Settings: The default lifespan settings in The Sims 4 offer a balanced experience. However, you can customize lifespan lengths in the game options. If you’re playing with a short lifespan, you might want to age up your infant sooner to maximize their time in the toddler and childhood stages. Conversely, with a long lifespan, you have more time to savor each stage.

Ultimately, the decision is yours. Experiment, see what works best for you, and remember to have fun!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some common questions regarding aging up babies and infants in The Sims 4:

How long do newborns stay newborns in The Sims 4?

Newborns will age up into Infants on their own after approximately one Sim day. You can also manually age them up at any point during that day.

How do I manually age up my infant in The Sims 4?

Click on the infant and select the “Age Up” interaction. This will trigger the aging-up sequence.

Do I need a birthday cake to age up my infant?

No, a birthday cake is not required to age up an infant. The “Age Up” interaction is sufficient. Cakes with candles are more commonly used for aging up Toddlers, Children, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, and Elders.

What happens when I age up my infant?

Your infant will transition into a Toddler. This new life stage brings new interactions, skills to develop, and challenges for your Sim family.

Can I prevent my infant from aging up automatically?

Yes, you can disable auto-aging in the game options. This allows you to control when your Sims age up manually. Navigate to Game Options > Gameplay and uncheck the “Auto Age (Played Sims)” and/or “Auto Age (Unplayed Sims)” options.

How do I make my baby age faster in The Sims 4?

If you’ve disabled auto-aging, the fastest way to age up your baby is to use the “Age Up” interaction. Alternatively, you can bake a cake, add birthday candles, and have the Sim blow out the candles.

What milestones can infants achieve in The Sims 4?

Infants have milestones in five categories: Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Social, Life, and Firsts. These milestones involve activities like babbling, reaching for objects, sitting up, and interacting with caregivers.

Are infants playable Sims?

Yes! With the Infants update, infants are now more interactive and engaging than ever before. You can direct their actions, fulfill their needs, and help them develop their personalities. However, direct control over infants is limited compared to older Sims; you’ll primarily be guiding their actions through caregiver interactions.

How do I care for my infant in The Sims 4?

Infants require caregiving tasks such as feeding, changing diapers, bathing, and providing affection. Pay attention to their moodlets to determine their needs.

What are infant quirks in The Sims 4?

Infant quirks are personality traits that develop as the infant interacts with the world. These quirks influence their behavior and preferences as they grow older. There are several quirks that an Infant can develop.

Is The Sims 4 okay for young children?

The Sims 4 is generally rated for teens (13+). However, parents should consider the game’s themes and content before allowing younger children to play. Features like “WooHoo” (Sims version of sexual relations) and mild violence might not be suitable for all age groups. The Games Learning Society might offer more insight into the educational value and appropriate age groups for various games. Check out GamesLearningSociety.org.

Can I use cheats to age up my baby in The Sims 4?

Yes, you can use cheats to speed up the aging process. First, open the cheat console by pressing Ctrl + Shift + C. Then, type “testingcheats true” and press Enter. Finally, type “sims.aging off” to stop aging altogether, or “sims.setage [Sim ID] [Age]” to set a specific age. To find a Sim’s ID, use the “sims.getsimidby_name [First Name] [Last Name]” cheat. Be cautious when using cheats, as they can sometimes have unintended consequences.

How long does a Sim lifespan last in The Sims 4?

The length of a Sim lifespan varies depending on the lifespan setting you choose in the game options. The default lifespan is Normal, but you can also choose Short or Long. You can also customize the length of each life stage individually.

My newborns are not aging up in The Sims 4, what should I do?

First, ensure that auto-aging is enabled in the game options. If it is, try resetting the Sim using the “resetsim [First Name] [Last Name]” cheat. You can also try moving the family to a new lot or restarting the game.

How do I throw a birthday party for my baby in The Sims 4?

While you can’t throw a traditional birthday party for a newborn, you can throw a party to celebrate their arrival! For older life stages: Use your Sim’s phone to “Plan a Social Event” and select “Birthday Party.” Choose the Sim you want to celebrate and follow the prompts to plan the event.