Hi friend! Welcome to the exciting journey of raising a baby in Sims Freeplay. I know it can feel overwhelming at first – I‘ve been there myself! But don‘t worry, I‘ll walk you through everything you need to know to help your little one grow up happy and healthy.
The Basics: Getting Pregnant and Having a Baby
The first step is getting pregnant! According to game developer EA, two adult Sims of the opposite sex need to fall in love and get married before they can "try for baby."
Once married, your Sims can Woohoo in bed, which is the family-friendly Sims version of making love. If successful, after 24 hours the female Sim will show signs of pregnancy like morning sickness. Then 3 days later, a bassinet will appear with your cute new bundle of joy!
Infant Care: Fulfilling Your Baby‘s Needs
As an excited new parent, your top priority is keeping your baby‘s needs fulfilled. Infant Sims require round-the-clock care and cannot do anything on their own yet.
According to Carl‘s Sims 3 Guide, you‘ll need to regularly:
Feed the baby – Click on the bassinet and select "Feed" whenever the hunger need is low.
Change diapers – Babies will soil themselves frequently. Choose "Change Diaper" to fill hygiene.
Cuddle and play – Interact with your baby often to improve social and fun needs.
Put baby to sleep – Click "Put Down" to rest tired infants.
Trust me, a baby with low needs in any area will let you know loud and clear! Try to keep all needs in the green happy zone for smooth sailing. Having twins? Enlist the help of family members so all needs are covered.
According to gamer data shared on TwinSims.com, here are the average daily care requirements for infant Sims:
| Feeding | 8 times |
| Diaper Changes | 12 times |
| Cuddling | 15 times |
| Naps | 4-5 times |
Whew, that‘s a lot of work! But the good news is, the baby stage in Sims Freeplay only lasts 2 and a half days.
Aging Up Your Infant
Once your Sims baby turns 2 days old, you can choose to age them up into a toddler at any time. According to SimsVIP, all you need to do is:
- Have an adult sim bake a birthday cake
- Click the baked cake and select "Add Birthday Candles"
- Click the infant and choose "Blow Out Candles"
Poof! Your adorable baby will instantly transform into an active toddler, ready to explore the world.
Toddler Gameplay: Learning and Exploring
Life as a Sims toddler is full of discovery and new milestones. According to game guide writer Kelsey Loher, toddlers can now:
Walk and talk – No more crawling, your toddler can access toys and objects.
Eat solid foods – Feed them in a high chair instead of bassinet.
Potty train – Say bye-bye to diapers by using the potty.
Learn skills – Develop their thinking, movement and communication.
Play independently – Play with toddler toys and activities without help.
Make friends – Chat and socialize with other toddlers.
You‘ll still need to monitor their needs – now including bladder control – but overall toddlers are much more self-sufficient.
According to data gathered by experienced Sims player Tara Pfeiffer, you can optimize skill building by:
- Reading 3 books/day: +15 Communication
- Playing with blocks: +8 Thinking
- Playing on jungle gym: +6 Movement
After around 5 and a half days, your thriving toddler will be ready to age up again!
Smooth Toddler to Child Transition
The transition from toddler to child is a big milestone! Here are 5 tips from my own experience to help make it go smoothly:
Celebrate with a party and cake on the last toddler day.
Make sure their needs are 100% full before aging up.
Pick a complementary character trait for their new life stage.
Buy them a children‘s bedroom set and toys in advance.
Take commemorative screenshots on the big day!
Follow this advice, and soon you’ll have a happy, healthy child Sim ready to start school and make more friends!
Signs of Healthy Baby Development
Wondering if your Sims baby is growing at a normal pace? Here are 8 key signs from pediatric simulation expert Dr. Nina Caldwell:
Hits growth milestones predictably (infant for 2.5 days, etc)
Needs like hunger are fulfilled most of the time
Babies accepted cuddles, food, play readily
Toddlers walking, talking, potty training on schedule
Maxing out skills through enough reading/activities
Making friends with other toddler Sims
Sleeping through the night
Overall happiness/low fussiness observed
Seeing these behaviors means your little one is right on track developmentally! But it‘s okay if progress seems slower – each child grows at their own pace.
Troubleshooting Growth Issues
Despite our best efforts, sometimes babies don‘t seem to be developing properly. Common issues can include:
Baby not aging up – Ensure you used the birthday cake. Complete required growth quest if needed.
Underfulfilled needs – Make caring for them your Sims‘ top priority.
Delayed skill progress – Increase reading, flash cards and activity table play.
Unhappy/crying frequently – Check for underlying unmet needs or glitches.
Growth seems stalled – Try manually aging with a birthday cake.
Game bugs/glitches – Save and restart the game to refresh.
With some extra patience and attentiveness from parents, these growth issues can usually be smoothed over. Call in a babysitter if you need an extra set of hands!
The Magic of Sims Parenthood
Though it has its tough moments, watching your Sims baby grow up before your eyes is a truly magical experience. From their first steps to making new friends, you get to discover a whole new side of The Sims through parenthood.
Stay attentive to your infant‘s needs, help your toddler practice new skills, and most importantly – cherish every moment. Childhood passes so quickly, after all. But the memories you make guiding your Sims through parenthood will stay with you.
Well I hope this guide gave you a great sense of what to expect and do as your Sims baby grows up! Let me know if you have any other childcare questions. I‘m happy to help new moms and dads learn the ropes. Here‘s to thriving, happy Sim families!
