Why Is My Baby Not Eligible to Age Up in Sims 4? A Comprehensive Guide
Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.
- Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
- Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
- Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.
- Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
- Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
- Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.
Your Sim baby refusing to age up in The Sims 4 can be frustrating, but it’s usually due to a few common culprits. The most likely reason is that you’re trying to age up a Newborn before the game allows it. Newborns will automatically transition to the Infant stage within about a day. If you are dealing with an Infant or older Sim, it’s likely one of the conditions below is preventing the action.
Here are the primary reasons why your baby might not be aging up:
- Newborn Stage: Newborns cannot be manually aged up using a cake or interaction until they’ve been in the world for at least a day. This is a built-in game mechanic.
- Aging is Disabled: The most common reason for any Sim not aging is that aging is turned off in your game settings. Check your gameplay options. Ensure auto-aging for played or unplayed Sims (or both) is enabled.
- Sim is Too Young: Sims have a minimum number of days they need to be in a specific life stage before they can age up. Check the Simology panel to see how many days are left until the Sim’s natural birthday.
- Birthday Cooldown: If you recently aged up a Sim in the household, there might be a temporary cooldown preventing another Sim from aging up immediately.
- Glitches and Bugs: Occasionally, game glitches can prevent Sims from aging. Restarting your game or repairing your game files through the Origin/EA app can sometimes resolve this issue.
- Conflicting Mods: If you’re using mods, a conflicting or outdated mod could be interfering with the aging process. Try disabling your mods one by one (or in batches) to see if any are causing the problem. Remember to remove the localthumbnailcache file after removing mods.
- Incorrect Interaction: For Infants and Toddlers, make sure you’re using the correct “Age Up” interaction (usually involving a birthday cake with candles).
- Game Needs Update: Make sure your game is up to date. Patches often address bugs and glitches that could affect gameplay, including aging.
Sometimes, seemingly simple settings can cause the most confusion.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Aging Up Babies in The Sims 4
1. How long does it take for a Newborn to age up to an Infant automatically?
Newborns automatically age up to Infants within approximately one day in Sim time. This is a programmed event that happens without player intervention.
2. Can I force a Newborn to age up sooner?
No, you cannot manually age up a Newborn before the game allows it. The option to “Age Up” a Newborn only becomes available after they have been in the world for a short period.
3. How do I age up an Infant to a Toddler?
To age up an Infant to a Toddler, you need to bake a cake, add birthday candles, and then have the Infant (assisted by a parent) blow out the candles. Click on the cake after baking it, select “Add Birthday Candles,” and then click on the Infant to see the “Blow Out Candles” option.
4. My Sims aren’t aging at all. What should I do?
First, check your game settings. Go to Game Options > Gameplay and ensure that “Auto Age (Played Sims)” and “Auto Age (Unplayed Sims)” are both turned on. If they are off, your Sims will not age naturally.
5. Why is my Toddler not eligible to age up, even with a cake?
Make sure you have added birthday candles to the cake. The “Blow Out Candles” option won’t appear if the cake is missing this crucial element. Also, ensure there isn’t a recent birthday cooldown in effect.
6. Can Elder Sims still have babies in The Sims 4?
While female Elder Sims cannot get pregnant, male Elder Sims can still impregnate adult female Sims. However, fertility does decrease with age, so it might take more attempts.
7. I’m using mods. Could this be causing my baby not to age up?
Yes, absolutely. Outdated or conflicting mods are a common cause of glitches in The Sims 4, including aging issues. Try disabling your mods to see if that resolves the problem.
8. How do I update The Sims 4?
If you purchased through Origin or the EA App, your game should update automatically. If not, open the application and check for updates. On consoles, updates are typically downloaded automatically, but you can check for updates in your console’s system settings.
9. I’ve tried everything, and my Sim still won’t age up. Is there anything else I can do?
Try repairing your game files through the Origin/EA App. This can fix corrupted files that might be causing issues. If that doesn’t work, consider a clean reinstall of the game, backing up your saved games first.
10. How long does each life stage last in The Sims 4?
The lifespan of each Sim life stage depends on your game settings (short, normal, or long). With “Normal” lifespans, each stage lasts approximately:
- Newborn: 1 day
- Infant: 5 days
- Toddler: 7 days
- Child: 14 days
- Teen: 14 days
- Young Adult: 24 days
- Adult: 24 days
- Elder: Varies
11. Is there a way to speed up pregnancy in The Sims 4?
Yes, you can use cheats to speed up pregnancy. Open the cheat console (Ctrl+Shift+C on PC, Command+Shift+C on Mac, or all four shoulder buttons on consoles) and enter testingcheats true. Then, type in sims.addbuff pregnancyinlabor. This will put your Sim immediately into labor. Using other pregnancy-related cheats might corrupt your save file, so it is not recommended.
12. How do I influence the gender of my Sim’s baby?
You can influence the gender of your Sim’s baby by having the pregnant Sim eat specific foods and listen to certain music. Eating strawberries and listening to pop music increases the chances of having a girl, while eating carrots and listening to alternative music increases the chances of having a boy.
13. What are Milestones for Infants?
Infant Milestones mark the key developmental achievements your little one reaches. They fall into categories like Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Firsts, Life, and Social. Completing these milestones unlocks new interactions and skills for the Infant. These milestones are not required for aging up from infant to toddler.
14. Can Lot Traits affect the chances of having twins or triplets?
Yes! The “On the Ley Line” Lot Trait increases the chances of your Sims having twins when they try for a baby on that lot.
15. Where can I learn more about games and learning?
You can visit the Games Learning Society website to learn more about how games can be used for educational purposes. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to explore their research, resources, and community!
Remember to save your game frequently and troubleshoot any issues systematically to avoid frustration!