The Sims 4 Skills: Child Skills

3 min read

Overview

Child Sims have four unique Fundamental skills: Motor, Creativity, Mental, and Social. These skills unlock new gameplay interactions and help with completing Child Aspirations. Learn how to level them up, unlock bonus moodlets, and use cheats to speed up progress.

Table of Contents

What are Child skills?

Child Sims have different skills from older Sims. They have four Fundamental skills, which are:
  • Motor 
  • Creativity
  • Mental
  • Social.
Child Sims can also build some other skills, but at a slower rate than Teens or older. They can build these alongside their Fundamental Skills. For example, if a Child Sim plays Piano, they’ll build both the Piano skill and their Creativity skill at the same time, but Piano will build more slowly. 
The higher your Child Sim’s Mental Skill, the quicker they’ll complete their Homework and School Projects! 

Child Aspirations

All of these skills go up to level ten. Building these help with Child Aspirations, as each Aspiration is linked to a specific skill. These Aspirations come with The Sims 4 Base Game.
  • The Artistic Prodigy Aspiration is linked to the Creativity skill.
  • The Whiz Kid Aspiration is linked to the Mental skill.
  • The Rambunctious Scamp Aspiration is linked to the Motor skill.
  • The Social Butterfly Aspiration is linked to the Social skill.
Some newer Child Aspirations were added with additional Packs.
The following Multi-Skill Child Aspirations come with The Sims 4 Growing Together Expansion Pack.
  • The Slumber Party Animal Aspiration is linked to the Social and Creativity skills.
  • The Mind and Body Aspiration is linked to the Motor and Mental skills.
  • The Playtime Captain Aspiration is linked to the Motor and Social skills.
  • The Creative Genius Aspiration is linked to the Mental and Creativity skills.

Lot Traits 

Some Lot Traits can also help Child Sims build their skills.
  • Child’s Play Lot Trait: With this Trait, Child Sims will learn faster. Child Sims and Adult Sims who have the Childish Trait will get the Child’s Play Playful Moodlet when playing with children’s objects.
  • Study Spot Lot Trait: Sims will complete their homework faster, study longer without getting exhausted, and will also build skills a little faster. 

Motor Skill

The Motor skill is all about movement and fitness. Some of the many ways to build a Child’s Motor skill include:
Here’s what unlocks at each level.
  • Level 1: Play on the Monkey Bars and Practice Typing at a computer.
  • Level 2: nothing unlocks at this level.
  • Level 3: Ask for Typing Tips from other Sims.
  • Level 4: Play Keyboard Commander on the computer, Swim better and faster.
  • Level 5: can Hangout on the Monkey Bars.
  • Level 6: can sometimes get a High Score Moodlet from playing Keyboard Commander on the computer.
  • Level 7: can get better Moodlets from playing on the Monkey Bars.
  • Level 8: nothing unlocks at this level.
  • Level 9: get more Motor skill from the Monkey Bars and playing games on a computer or Motion Gaming Rig.
  • Level 10: get a powerful Moodlet from playing on the Monkey Bars.

Creativity Skill

The Creativity skill is all about developing a Child Sim’s imagination. Some of the many ways to build a Child’s Motor skill include:
  • using the Activity Table
  • certain interactions with the Dollhouse 
  • playing Violin or Piano. 
Here’s what unlocks at each level.
  • Level 1: can Draw on an Activity Table, Play with the Dollhouse, and Toybox Toys.
  • Level 2: draw a new image at the Activity Table.
  • Level 3: gets more satisfaction from Playing on a Pirate Ship Jungle Gym. 
  • Level 4: draw a new image at the Activity Table, Tell Make Believe Story to other Sims, and Daydream.
  • Level 5: sometimes becomes Inspired when playing with a Dollhouse.
  • Level 6: draw a new image at the Activity Table and get better Moodlets when playing with toys.
  • Level 7: if they own a Dollhouse, they can Write Dollhouse Story on a computer when Inspired, and get more satisfaction from playing on a Pirate Ship Jungle Gym.
  • Level 8: draw a new image at the Activity Table.
  • Level 9: Narrate a Tale of Dolls on a Dollhouse.
  • Level 10: masters the Creativity skill.

Mental Skill

The Mental skill is the stepping stone to building the Logic skill as an adult. Some of the many ways to build a Child’s Mental skill include:
  • using the Science Table 
  • using the computer 
  • playing chess.
Here’s what unlocks at each level.
  • Level 1: nothing unlocks at this level.
  • Level 2: can Play Arithmetic Game on the computer.
  • Level 3: nothing unlocks at this level.
  • Level 4: can get better Moodlets from Playing Arithmetic Game, and can Create Health Potions at the Science Table.
  • Level 5: can Talk about Fractions with other Sims.
  • Level 6: can Research on Simpedia on the computer.
  • Level 7: can Create Emotion Potion at the Science Table, and get better Moodlets from the Science Table and the Space Ship Jungle Gym.
  • Level 8: nothing unlocks at this level.
  • Level 9: will sometimes gain more Mental skill from Research on Simpedia and Play Arithmetic Game on the computer, and can Attempt Mental Telepathy.
  • Level 10: can Create Stink Drink at the Science Table.

Social Skill

The Social skill is the first step to making a Child Sim a sociable adult and can help them make friends more easily. Some of the many ways to build a Child’s Social skill include:
  • engaging in social interactions with other Sims
  • certain interactions with the Dollhouse 
  • social interactions with oversized stuffed animals 
  • certain interactions on the computer 
  • Practice Speech using a mirror.
Here’s what unlocks at each level.
  • Level 1: use Press to Talk on Talking Toys.
  • Level 2: can now Watch Sim.tv on a computer.
  • Level 3: nothing unlocks at this level .
  • Level 4: get better Moodlets from Watch Sim.tv on a computer.
  • Level 5: get better Moodlets from Play with Teddy Bear.
  • Level 6: can Research Idioms at a computer, and Talk with Giant Stuffed Animal interaction will reduce sadness.
  • Level 7: can Talk about School with other Sims.
  • Level 8: nothing unlocks at this level.
  • Level 9: Talk with Giant Stuffed Animal interaction also reduces Stress, Embarrassment, and Uncomfortableness.
  • Level 10: can Mock other Sims’ moods. 

Child Skill cheats

When using Child skill cheats, type in the number of the level you want to reach as well as which Child Skill you want to increase. For example, putting stats.set_skill_level skill_child_motor 2 into the cheat bar will get your Sim’s Motor skill up to level 2. To do this for other skills, switch motor with creativity, mental, or social.Using the Motor skill as an example, here’s what that looks like on each platform: 
  1. 1
    Press Control + Shift + C to open the cheat dialogue box. 
  2. 2
    Type testingcheats true and press Enter to turn on cheats. 
  3. 3
    Type stats.set_skill_level skill_child_motor [skill level] and press Enter.  
Need help mastering more skills in The Sims 4? Check out some of our other skill guides. 
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