Quick & Easy: How To Age Up A Toddler Sims 4 Now

Can you age up a toddler in Sims 4? Yes, you absolutely can! The main way to age up a Sims 4 toddler is with a birthday cake, but there are other methods involving game settings or cheats. This guide will show you exactly how to manage your Sims 4 toddler age up, explaining each option for making the Sims 4 toddler to child transition happen. We will cover everything from the classic birthday party method to adjusting Sims 4 aging settings and even using a Sims 4 age up cheat for a Sims 4 forced age up. Get ready to see your little Sim grow up!

The Birthday Cake Method: A Classic Way to Grow Up

One of the most common and fun ways to see your Sims 4 grow up toddler is with a birthday cake. This method feels like a proper celebration and fits well into your Sim’s story.

Getting the Birthday Cake

You need a birthday cake to make your toddler have a birthday. There are a couple of simple ways to get one:

Bake It: If your Sim likes to cook, they can bake a cake. Use a oven. Click on the oven, then choose “Bake.” Look for “Any Cake.” Once the cake is baked, place it on a flat surface, like a counter or a table.
Buy It: Don’t want to bake? No problem! You can buy a cake. Open Build/Buy Mode (F2 key or click the icon). Go to the ‘Appliances’ section, then ‘Miscellaneous’. Look for the birthday cake. It might be in ‘Party’ objects depending on your filters. Place it on a lot. You can even buy it directly from the fridge if you have one placed. Click the fridge, choose ‘Order Delivery’, then ‘Bakery Delivery’. A cake will arrive soon.

Preparing the Cake for Aging

Getting the cake is just the first step. It’s just food right now. You need to make it special for a birthday.

Place the Cake: Make sure the cake is on a surface your Sims can easily reach. A dining table or counter is good.
Add Candles: Click on the cake. You will see an option that says “Add Birthday Candles.” Click this. The cake now has candles! It is ready for the birthday wish.

Using the Cake to Age Up

With candles on the cake, any Sim can use it to help someone age up.

Gather Sims: It’s nice to have the Sim whose birthday it is, plus family and friends, near the cake.
Blow Out Candles: Click on the cake with candles. You will see the option “Ask to Blow Out Candles…” A list of Sims who are ready to age up will appear. This list includes Sims who have lived through their current life stage long enough, or potentially younger Sims if you want a Sims 4 forced age up using this method (though game settings or cheats are better for forced aging).
Choose the Toddler: Select the name of the toddler you want to age up from the list.
The Magic Happens: Your chosen Sim, or another Sim if the Sim is too young to do it alone (like a toddler), will go to the cake and blow out the candles. Watch closely! There will be a little animation, maybe some confetti, and then the Sim will age up.

This is the most common Sims 4 how to age up a toddler method. It feels natural and is part of the game’s design.

Controlling Time: Using Aging Settings

The Sims 4 has settings that control how fast Sims live and age. Changing these Sims 4 aging settings can affect when your toddler naturally ages up. This is part of the Sims 4 guide aging process.

Accessing Aging Settings

You can find these settings easily:

Open Game Options: Click the three dots (…) in the top right corner of the screen. This opens the Options menu.
Go to Game Options: Click on ‘Game Options’.
Choose Gameplay: In the menu on the left side, click on ‘Gameplay’.

Here you will find the settings for aging.

Lifespan Options Explained

In the Gameplay settings, you will see ‘Auto Age’ and ‘Sim Lifespan’.

Auto Age: This setting controls which Sims age automatically.
- Active Household: Only Sims you are currently playing will age.
- Played Sims: Sims you have played at some point will age, even when you are not playing their household right now.
- Unplayed Sims: Sims you have never played will age.
- Disabled: No Sims will age automatically unless you force them to (like with a cake).
  It’s usually best to keep ‘Active Household’ or ‘Played Sims’ on so time moves forward.
Sim Lifespan: This is where you choose how long each life stage lasts. There are three main Sims 4 lifespan options:
- Short: Life stages are very short. Sims live fast. Toddlers will spend a short time as toddlers.
- Normal: This is the default setting. Life stages last a reasonable amount of time. Toddlers will spend a normal amount of time as toddlers.
- Long: Life stages are very long. Sims live for a long time. Toddlers will spend a long time as toddlers.

Specific Lifespan Lengths: The exact number of days for each life stage varies depending on the lifespan setting. The game doesn’t always show you the exact numbers in the options menu, but players have figured them out. Here is a general idea:

Life Stage	Short Lifespan (Days)	Normal Lifespan (Days)	Long Lifespan (Days)
Baby	0.5 (Ages up fast)	1 (Ages up fast)	2 (Ages up fast)
Toddler	~2-3	~5-6	~20-24
Child	~4	~13	~52
Teen	~4	~13	~52
Young Adult	~4.5	~20	~80
Adult	~5	~20	~80
Elder	Varies	Varies	Varies

Note: These numbers can sometimes change slightly with game updates, but they give you a good idea. Toddlers specifically spend a noticeable amount of time in Short, Normal, or Long settings.

How Settings Affect Aging Up a Toddler

If ‘Auto Age’ is on, your toddler Sim will automatically have a birthday and age up to a child once they have spent the required number of days in the toddler life stage, based on your ‘Sim Lifespan’ setting.

If you want your toddler to age up sooner naturally, you could switch to a Short lifespan. But remember, this makes all your Sims age faster!
If you want them to stay toddlers longer, switch to a Long lifespan.
You can also turn ‘Auto Age’ for the active household off. This completely stops aging for your Sims. They will only age if you use a birthday cake on them. This is a way to control the pace of your game exactly how you like it.

Changing these Sims 4 aging settings lets you control the flow of time for your whole game, which impacts when your Sims 4 toddler age up happens naturally.

Using Cheats for Instant Aging

Sometimes you don’t want to wait. Maybe you made a Sim for a story and need them to be a child right now. Maybe you just finished the toddler stage tasks and are ready to move on immediately. This is where a Sims 4 age up cheat comes in handy for a Sims 4 forced age up.

Enabling Cheats

Before you can use any cheats, you must enable them in your game.

Open the Cheat Console: Press Ctrl + Shift + C on your keyboard (or Cmd + Shift + C on a Mac). A white bar will appear at the top of your screen.
Type the Enable Cheat: In the white bar, type testingcheats true and press Enter. The console will confirm that cheats are enabled (or just close).
Optional but Recommended: Some cheats work better, or are safer, if you also type cas.fulleditmode after enabling testing cheats and press Enter. This cheat allows you to fully edit Sims in Create-A-Sim later if needed, but it also helps with some other cheats working correctly.

Now you are ready to use age-up cheats.

The Age Up Cheat

There isn’t a single, simple cheat like ageup that works on any Sim instantly without extra steps. The most reliable way to force a Sims 4 toddler to child transition using cheats involves a specific command combined with right-clicking (or Shift-clicking).

Enable Cheats: Make sure testingcheats true is active.
Shift-Click the Sim: Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and click directly on the toddler Sim you want to age up. A special cheat menu will appear.
Choose Age Up: In the cheat menu that appears, look for an option like “Cheat Need…” or similar depending on your game state or packs. Inside that menu, or sometimes directly on the first cheat menu level, you will find “Set Age Stage.” Clicking “Set Age Stage” will show you a list of age stages (Baby, Toddler, Child, Teen, etc.).
Select “Child”: Click on “Child” from the list.

The game will immediately process the age transition for that specific toddler Sim. This is a powerful Sims 4 forced age up tool. It bypasses the birthday cake and ignores the number of days the Sim has been in the toddler stage. They just instantly become a child.

Considerations When Using Cheats

Skills: When a toddler ages up via this cheat, their toddler skills (Movement, Communication, Thinking, Potty, Imagination) do not automatically convert into child skills. They essentially age up with no progress towards child skills. If you age them up naturally via lifespan or cake after their age bar is full, their toddler skills do influence their starting child skills. This is a key difference in the Sims 4 toddler to child transition depending on the method.
Game Stability: While generally safe, using cheats too much or incorrectly can sometimes cause unexpected things to happen in the game. Save your game before using cheats if you are worried.
Achievement Disabling: Using cheats can sometimes disable achievements for that save file. If you care about getting achievements, be careful with cheats.

Using a Sims 4 age up cheat is the quickest way to get a Sims 4 forced age up, but be aware of how it affects skill progression.

The Sims 4 Toddler to Child Transition: What Happens Next?

Once your toddler ages up, they become a Child Sim. This is a big change! They get new abilities, needs, and things to do. Knowing what to expect helps you manage your new Child Sim. This is a vital part of the Sims 4 guide aging process.

New Life Stage, New Features

Appearance: The Sim’s physical look changes dramatically. They will look like a small person, not a wobbly toddler. You might want to take them into Create-A-Sim (CAS) to change their clothes and hairstyle to fit their new age.
Skills: Toddler skills are gone. Child Sims have different skills they can learn:
- Motor Skill (Replaces Movement)
- Social Skill (Replaces Communication)
- Mental Skill (Replaces Thinking)
- Creativity Skill (Replaces Imagination)
- The Potty skill is no longer needed; Child Sims use the toilet like adults.
Skill Conversion (Natural Aging Only): If your toddler ages up naturally (either by hitting their age milestone on auto-aging or by blowing out candles on a cake after their age bar is full), their level in each toddler skill does give them a head start in the related child skill.
- Movement -> Motor
- Communication -> Social
- Thinking -> Mental
- Imagination -> Creativity
  The higher the toddler skill level, the higher the starting level in the child skill. This rewards players who work on toddler skills! If you use the Sims 4 age up cheat for a Sims 4 forced age up before the age bar is full, you miss out on this skill transfer.
Needs: Child Sims have the same basic needs as adults (Hunger, Fun, Social, Hygiene, Bladder, Energy). They no longer have the ‘Toddler Happy’ need.
Interactions: Child Sims can do many new things: go to school (mandatory!), do homework, play on playground equipment, join after-school activities (if you have certain Expansion Packs), use more objects, and have more complex social interactions. They can also walk up and down stairs normally!
Traits: When a toddler ages up, they get a Child Aspiration and potentially an extra trait slot depending on how many character values they developed as a toddler (using the Parenthood Game Pack). This adds more depth to their personality.

The Sims 4 toddler to child transition marks a shift from focusing on basic needs and simple skill building to more complex learning, social life, and aspirations.

When is the Right Time to Age Up?

Deciding when to make your Sims 4 toddler age up is up to you. There’s no single “right” answer.

Reasons to Age Up Quickly

Toddlers are Hard Work: Let’s be honest, managing toddlers in The Sims 4 can be challenging! They need constant care, help with basic needs, and can be fussy. Aging them up early makes the household management easier.
Ready for School: You might want your Sim to start school and develop child skills.
Story Progression: Maybe your story requires the Sim to be a child sooner.
Sims 4 Forced Age Up Need: You specifically need the Sim to be older for gameplay reasons (e.g., needing another child in the household to complete a goal).

Reasons to Keep Them as Toddlers Longer

Completing Toddler Skills: Aging up naturally after maxing toddler skills gives the child a head start. Many players aim to get all or most toddler skills to level 3 before aging up. This requires spending time in the toddler stage.
Enjoying the Stage: Toddlers can be very cute and have unique, funny interactions. Some players just enjoy playing this life stage.
Building Character Values: If you have the Parenthood pack, the toddler stage is crucial for building character values like Manners, Emotional Control, and Responsibility. These continue into childhood but start building early.
Specific Toddler Aspirations: Some packs add toddler aspirations. You might want to complete these before aging up.

Ultimately, the decision on when to initiate the Sims 4 how to age up a toddler process depends on your play style and goals for your Sims family. The game gives you flexibility through lifespan settings, the birthday cake, and cheats.

Tips for Managing the Toddler Stage

If you decide to keep your toddler around for a while to max skills or enjoy the stage, here are some helpful tips:

Get a Toddler Bed: These are crucial for energy needs.
Get a High Chair: Useful for feeding, though Sims can also feed toddlers holding them. High chairs can sometimes be buggy, so watch out. Putting food on the floor is also an option.
Toddler Proof Doors (Parenthood Pack): Lock doors for toddlers to keep them where you want them!
Toddler Toys: The stacking blocks and tablet (Thinking), dollhouse (Imagination), and talking toilet (Potty, Communication) are great tools for skill building.
Ask for Help: Older Sims (Child or older) can help toddlers with many things: teaching skills, feeding, bathing, and even carrying them. Use your family members!
Read Books: Reading to toddlers helps their Communication and Imagination skills.
Use the Talking Toilet: This is the easiest way to raise the Potty skill. Just click the toilet and choose “Practice Potty” or “Talk to Potty.”
Play Music: Dancing to music helps the Movement skill.
Flash Cards: Using flash cards with an older Sim helps the Thinking skill.
Group Activities: If you have multiple toddlers, they can learn from each other and build social skill just by being near each other.

Spending time on these activities not only makes the toddler stage easier to manage but also prepares the toddler for a better transition into childhood with higher starting skills if you age them up naturally. This is key information for any Sims 4 guide aging process.

Sims 4 Guide Aging Process: A Summary

Let’s put it all together for the Sims 4 guide aging process, focusing on toddlers.

Automatic Aging: The default way Sims age. Governed by the ‘Sim Lifespan’ setting (Short, Normal, Long) and the ‘Auto Age’ setting in Game Options. Toddlers will age up automatically after spending a certain number of days in that life stage. This is the natural Sims 4 toddler age up.
Manual Aging (Birthday Cake): You can make a Sim age up at any time once they have lived at least one day in their current stage by using a birthday cake with candles. This is the most common way to manually trigger the Sims 4 toddler to child transition. It’s a manual Sims 4 grow up toddler method.
Forced Aging (Cheats): Using the testingcheats true command and the Shift-Click menu on the Sim, you can instantly change their age stage. This is a Sims 4 age up cheat that allows a Sims 4 forced age up.

The method you choose impacts skill transfer. Natural aging (auto or cake after the age bar is full) transfers toddler skills to child skills. Cheating before the age bar is full does not transfer skills.

Controlling Sims 4 aging settings gives you power over the speed of the game, while the birthday cake and cheats offer direct control over individual Sim’s age transitions.

Table Comparing Aging Methods

Here is a simple table to compare the different methods for how to age up a toddler Sims 4:

Method	How it Works	Control Level	Skill Transfer? (Toddler -> Child)	Requires	Feeling
Automatic Aging	Time passes, age bar fills, Sim ages up	Low (set & forget)	Yes (if age bar full)	Game Settings	Natural, Game Pace
Birthday Cake	Bake/Buy cake, add candles, blow out	Medium (manual trigger)	Yes (if age bar full)	Oven or Buy Mode	Celebratory, Manual
Sims 4 Age Up Cheat	Enable cheats, Shift-Click Sim, choose age	High (instant)	No (if done early)	Cheat Console	Instant, Forced

This table helps quickly see the pros and cons of each Sims 4 how to age up a toddler option.

Reflecting on the Toddler Journey

Whether you rush through it or savor every moment, the toddler stage in The Sims 4 is a unique part of a Sim’s life. Toddlers are challenging but also very rewarding as you see them learn basic skills and develop personalities. Watching a Sims 4 toddler age up is a milestone for any Sim family. Knowing the different ways to make that happen – from waiting for natural progression governed by Sims 4 lifespan options, throwing a party with a Sims 4 toddler birthday cake, or using a quick Sims 4 age up cheat for a Sims 4 forced age up – gives you control over your game’s story and pace. Use this Sims 4 guide aging process to decide what works best for your current game.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I age up a toddler immediately after they become a toddler?
- A: Using a Sims 4 age up cheat allows you to age them up instantly, even right after they become a toddler. If using the birthday cake method, the Sim needs to have spent at least one full day in the toddler stage before they can blow out candles to age up. Natural aging takes longer, based on lifespan settings.
Q: Does aging up early with a cheat hurt the Sim?
- A: It doesn’t “hurt” them in a game-breaking way, but it means they won’t get a head start on child skills based on their toddler skill levels. If you care about skill transfer, let their age bar fill up naturally before aging them via cake or auto-aging.
Q: How do I check how many days my toddler has left in their stage?
- A: Hover your mouse cursor over the age bar of the Sim in the Simology panel (the tab with their picture). It will show you how many days are left until their next birthday (if auto-aging is on).
Q: My toddler’s age bar is full, but they haven’t aged up automatically. Why?
- A: Check your Game Options -> Gameplay settings. Make sure ‘Auto Age’ is turned on for ‘Active Household’ or ‘Played Sims’ depending on who the toddler is. If it’s off, they will not age automatically and will only age via cake or cheat.
Q: Can other Sims blow out the candles for the toddler?
- A: Yes, if the toddler is too young or doesn’t have the interaction available (which is often the case for toddlers), an older Sim in the household will automatically pick them up or stand near the cake to help them blow out the candles. Just select “Ask to Blow Out Candles…” on the cake, pick the toddler’s name, and the game will handle who actually performs the action.
Q: Is there a potion or item to age up besides the cake?
- A: In the base game, the birthday cake is the primary interactive object for manual aging. Some packs might introduce other items or potions, but the cake is the most common and always available base game method. Cheats are the other main way for direct, instant age-up.
Q: What skills should I focus on before aging up a toddler?
- A: Potty skill is often a priority as it’s the most needed for independence (they can use the toilet alone). Movement helps them walk and run. Communication helps with social interactions. Thinking and Imagination build foundations for mental and creative skills. Aiming for level 3 or higher in skills you care about is a good goal for the skill transfer bonus. This is part of planning the Sims 4 toddler to child transition.

This detailed Sims 4 guide aging process covers all the ways you can make your little Sim become a child. Pick the method that fits your current game and enjoy the next stage!