A main difference between The Sims and The Sims 2 is that sims now grow up. This article reveiws each age group and the features and limitations of them.
Babies
- Age: 3 Days
Babies are the first age group in The Sims 2. They last for three sim days and are uncontrollable. They also lack the comfort and environment needs. They are not selectable either. You can only tell their mood by the colour on the background of the portrait. Babies don't have aspirations either so that can't collect points. Their needs can only be satisfied in specific ways.
- Hunger: Feeding a baby through a baby bottle from the fridge.
- Bladder: Can't be fuffuled. Babies always fail. This decreases hygiene. After the need has failed, you can change their diaper either on the baby or on the changing table.
- Energy: Fuffiled by placing baby in the crib.
- Fun: Fuffiled by playing with the baby.
- Social: Fuffiled by playing and talking with the baby.
- Hygiene: Fuffiled by changing the babies diaper.
If hunger or social needs fail, then the social worker will take the baby away.
Toddlers
- Age: 4 Days
Toddlers behave a bit like babies but are a bit more mature. They can now be selected and their personal information is now accessible. They move by crawling until they are taught to walk. They have the grow up aspiration as well. Their wants revolve around interacting with the family and getting trained. They can also satisfy needs in a few other ways.
- Bladder: Can be fuffiled with the potty.
- Hunger: Toddlers can be placed in the high chair and fed toddler mush. This is served with any other meal.
- Hygiene: Toddlers can be bathed by older sims.
Toddlers also have Ask For interactions that can be asked to older sims. They can also have books read to them. Toddlers can be taken by the social worker.
Toddler Training
Toddlers have special skills they can learn. These are
- Learn To Walk: After that toddlers walk to places instead of crawling. They can't however climb stairs and must be carried up stories.
- Learn To Talk: After that toddlers can communicate effectively with other sims.
- Potty Training: After that toddlers no longer need to have diaper changes and will autonomously use the potty to fuffil the bladder need.
Toddlers also have special training objects that can help them build other skills. Skills they can build are Charisma, Creativity and Logic. Children can't build charisma without a career reward so building the skill is extremely beneficial.
Children
- Age: 8 Days
Children are much more mature than their younger siblings. Children now go to school from Monday to Friday. They also have a comfort need. They still have the grow up aspiration. Their wants revolve around doing well in school, making friends and socialising. They also have special toys that they can play with. Some of them are restricted to their age group. Children can learn cooking by using the toy oven to make a muffin. They can also study at the bookshelf. Children can also bring other sims along with them from school and want to become friends with them. They can also have sleepovers. They can't have romantic relationships.
School
School is a major part of a childs life. It also affects part of their home life. They can take other children home with them. A major way they are affected is through homework. On the first day of school and the rest, they bring home homework. They will intially have wants to complete homework and learn to study. Any oldre sim can teach them to study. Learning to study helps them complete homework faster. Not completing homework will result in a decrease in their grades. If they get an F then they will be taken away from the social worker.