Child

The Child life stage exists in The Sims, The Sims 2 and The Sims 3.

The Sims
Childhood in The Sims can either be the state that a Sim was created in, or attained after 72 game hours as a baby. Children do not grow older, and cannot gain some of the skill points. However, children can care for babies. Children should go to school every day to maintain good grades, as they will lose a full grade level if they miss a day. They can regain some of that by studying from a bookcase or on a computer, and can even regain the full grade level if they study enough. Children whose grades remain at "F" for too long are sent to military school and are never seen again. Therefore, it is essential that they go to school every day, on time, and in a good mood to ensure their grades stay high. Children with an "A" average may occasionally receive §100 from their grandparents. The children of the neighborhood can play with one another, and another child will sometimes drop by your house to play with your children. If they stay late into the night, their parents will come and take them home.

It is possible for children to function well without any adults present in the house. However, they would have to rely on good grades to keep Simoleons flowing in, and on ordering pizza over the phone or having Servo installed in order to eat.

With the Makin' Magic expansion, magical children have access to the charm Age of Instant, which will permanently turn them into adults. This is the only way for a child to become an adult without the use of a hacked item or third-party program. Makin' Magic also give kids a bit more freedom, in that they can go to Magic Town on their own by jumping in a Hole in the Ground.

When a child is aged to adulthood, regardless of how it is done, he or she will be given a randomly selected body type, a randomly selected Everyday skin for that body type, and a randomly selected head skin. Therefore, the newly created adult may not look anything like the child.

The Sims 2
Childhood is the third life stage in The Sims 2, and it lasts for 8 days. Children will still have the same Grow up aspiration they had as toddlers, but their wants and fears are different. For the first time, making friends is important, as is being taught to study by an older Sim. (This is usually an older relative, but it can be an older friend, too). The school day for children lasts from 9AM to 3PM, Monday through Friday. As in The Sims, children whose grades are consistently poor will be removed from the family by the Social Worker (who can also take them away if their hunger or social motives are too low or if they are too hot or cold), but can later be adopted by other families.

Unlike the original, children in The Sims 2 can't live alone without an older Sim present, but can earn skill points. They can ask for (or be offered) lessons in all the original career reward items, and even use some of them independently. Children can't cook unless they use the toy oven, but they can still study cooking from a bookcase or the Yummy Channel. They can also eat snacks from the fridge. The Seasons and newer expansion packs let Sims put away and retrieve leftovers from the fridge, making Sim kids a little less dependent on adults for food. Unlike children in The Sims, children in The Sims 2 cannot care for babies or toddlers, though they can use the "family kiss" and some "play" interactions on the latter.

== The Sims 3 ==

Children can have three traits and take 7 days in Normal lifespan mode to progress to the next life stage: Teen. It is possible to age them at any time using the birthday cake.

As a child your Sims will not have a lifetime wish immediately after creation, but will be free to build skill levels, pursue hobbies and develop friendships that will affect later life. They can gain a lifetime wish during this stage as their hobbies become more clear, and hard-working child Sims may even achieve the wish before becoming a teenager.

For the first time, children can visit their friends' homes or visit community lots alone, but they must be back before their curfew (10:00pm). If a child is out past their curfew, they will follow the nearest adult or go home.

This is the first time you will be able to see the young Sim’s skill journal. Children can build all skills except charisma, guitar and gardening. You will not be able to see a child's cooking or handiness skills until they become teenagers, but all the other acquired skills can viewed in the skills tab.

Patch 1.6 also allows children to directly interact with toddlers. Children can hug toddlers, read toddler books to them, and play "Peek-a-boo" together. They can also feed toddlers on the ground or ones that have been left in the high chair. Children cannot yet carry a toddler or look after them in the absence of an adult or babysitter.

In order for the player to choose the fourth trait when they become a teen, children must have a school performance of an A. Otherwise, the new trait will be chosen at random. The worse they do at school, the worse the trait will be (if the child fails, the trait may be something like "loser", "unlucky", or "evil"...)

Things that Children can do that younger Sims can't:
 * Go to school
 * Build all skills (except charisma, gardening and music)
 * Have a lifetime wish
 * Use the toilet
 * Retrieve snacks, quick meals or leftovers from the fridge
 * Sleep in beds
 * Visit community lots or neighbors' homes alone
 * Be tutored by Sims with max logic (includes gardening and charisma)
 * Die of drowning
 * Die of Fire