I love the toddlers in the Sims 4 and feel like I've slowly learned a lot about the best ways to build skills in order to achieve the top-notch toddler trait.For those who don't know, the top-notch toddler trait is earned when your toddler completes level 5 of all toddler skills before aging up. The trait then gives them a boost on all future skill gains. It's a lot of work, and requires constant attention for the entirety of your sim's toddler lifespan, but definitely worth it in the long run. I feel like there is always something new to discover that maybe I didn't realize before, so I thought it would be great to start a thread where everyone can share their best tips and tricks for building toddler skills as quickly and efficiently as possible, as well as just general tips to help in raising your little ones!My best tips...Movement - The slide is great, but the super cute "Play" animation that parents can initiate with the toddler seems to be an even faster way to build movement skill.Imagination - Use the slide first before any imagination activities to get a playful moodlet. Reading books to toddlers seems to work faster than just having your toddler play with the dollhouse or toys. That said, the play tent from DHD seems to develop imagination skill at an even more accelerated pace.Communication - Definitely the easiest toddler skill to develop in my opinion, just spam a bunch of interactions with Blarfy.Thinking - Definitely the hardest in my opinion. Flash cards and building blocks always seem to be such a hassle and really slow to develop the skill. Having the inquisitive trait definitely makes a difference here. The key is getting to level 4 though, as once you get there, you unlock the "Ask Why" interaction, which allows you to get that last skill point very quickly. It annoys the parents tremendously, but does the trick!General Trick - Fresh food... it doesn't refill the hunger bar as quickly as a meal and you have to eat several pieces, but it is so much easier to feed your toddlers this way. Just put a bunch of fruit and veggies in their inventory and you can quickly cue them to eat a bunch of them without the hassle of musical high chairs. It is even more effective then putting a plate of food on the floor, because who knows where the toddler will wander off to to eat that food. An added bonus with the fresh food is that they also get a happy moodlet which benefits communication and thinking skill gain!Hope this helps with your gameplay and looking forward to reading others' tips and tricks!

You don't need a high chair for toddlers to eat meals. If a meal is out on a counter or shelf, or in their inventory, they can grab their own meal and will sit down to eat in any chair that a toddler can use. I personally always have one sim in every household that has the Fresh Chef trait so meals never spoil...and I just leave party size group meals out on the counters for toddlers to grab whenever they get hungry.In that rare scenario where I don't have Fresh Chef, I just have one adult cook a family meal each morning and leave it out for the toddler all day.For building their skills, I use a lot of CC objects...not because they build the skills faster, but because they are really cute additions to the game: Toddler Basketball hoop and toddler swing for movement, toy telephone for communication and imagination, toy race track for imagination, etc. I also do like using stuffed animal (communication), blocks (thinking) and Doll Houses (imagination) though.Shameless plug for one of my favorite CC creators who has made a TON of toddler additions to the game. For anyone who uses CC and who likes toddlers, the stuff is amazing: https://pandasamacc.tumblr.com/

I often use the independent trait, especially if I have multiple toddlers. It’s great because they get a positive moodlet from “being on my own”, and they can use the potty by themselves right away.

"BK747;d-997205" wrote:I love the toddlers in the Sims 4 and feel like I've slowly learned a lot about the best ways to build skills in order to achieve the top-notch toddler trait.For those who don't know, the top-notch toddler trait is earned when your toddler completes level 5 of all toddler skills before aging up. The trait then gives them a boost on all future skill gains. It's a lot of work, and requires constant attention for the entirety of your sim's toddler lifespan, but definitely worth it in the long run. I feel like there is always something new to discover that maybe I didn't realize before, so I thought it would be great to start a thread where everyone can share their best tips and tricks for building toddler skills as quickly and efficiently as possible, as well as just general tips to help in raising your little ones!My best tips...Movement - The slide is great, but the super cute "Play" animation that parents can initiate with the toddler seems to be an even faster way to build movement skill.Imagination - Use the slide first before any imagination activities to get a playful moodlet. Reading books to toddlers seems to work faster than just having your toddler play with the dollhouse or toys. That said, the play tent from DHD seems to develop imagination skill at an even more accelerated pace.Communication - Definitely the easiest toddler skill to develop in my opinion, just spam a bunch of interactions with Blarfy.Thinking - Definitely the hardest in my opinion. Flash cards and building blocks always seem to be such a hassle and really slow to develop the skill. Having the inquisitive trait definitely makes a difference here. The key is getting to level 4 though, as once you get there, you unlock the "Ask Why" interaction, which allows you to get that last skill point very quickly. It annoys the parents tremendously, but does the trick!General Trick - Fresh food... it doesn't refill the hunger bar as quickly as a meal and you have to eat several pieces, but it is so much easier to feed your toddlers this way. Just put a bunch of fruit and veggies in their inventory and you can quickly cue them to eat a bunch of them without the hassle of musical high chairs. It is even more effective then putting a plate of food on the floor, because who knows where the toddler will wander off to to eat that food. An added bonus with the fresh food is that they also get a happy moodlet which benefits communication and thinking skill gain!Hope this helps with your gameplay and looking forward to reading others' tips and tricks!If a sim teaches blocks to the toddler it goes faster. and the toddler can walk around and say whats that over and over. it gets thinking and movement up. just click on things like stove, toilet etc. and the toddler will go to each one and think whats that. And of course he's walking to each item so that covers movement.

"Stormkeep;c-18049187" wrote:You don't need a high chair for toddlers to eat meals. If a meal is out on a counter or shelf, or in their inventory, they can grab their own meal and will sit down to eat in any chair that a toddler can use. I personally always have one sim in every household that has the Fresh Chef trait so meals never spoil...and I just leave party size group meals out on the counters for toddlers to grab whenever they get hungry.In that rare scenario where I don't have Fresh Chef, I just have one adult cook a family meal each morning and leave it out for the toddler all day.For building their skills, I use a lot of CC objects...not because they build the skills faster, but because they are really cute additions to the game: Toddler Basketball hoop and toddler swing for movement, toy telephone for communication and imagination, toy race track for imagination, etc. I also do like using stuffed animal (communication), blocks (thinking) and Doll Houses (imagination) though.Shameless plug for one of my favorite CC creators who has made a TON of toddler additions to the game. For anyone who uses CC and who likes toddlers, the stuff is amazing: https://pandasamacc.tumblr.com/I use a lot of PandaSama’s cc for toddlers in my game, especially the xylophone as it is great for the thinking skill without having to always resort to the blocks or flash cards. For the potty skill, if there’s more than one toddler in the house, spam them to watch the other toddler go potty and that ups their potty skill level!

"MayaRose1138;c-18049382" wrote:For the potty skill, if there’s more than one toddler in the house, spam them to watch the other toddler go potty and that ups their potty skill level!I never knew this! Thank you for sharing it. I end up with twins often in my game so that will be very useful...albeit also a little creepy.

Top-Notch Toddler Tip and Tricks

JaggidEdje
3 years ago
You don't need a high chair for toddlers to eat meals. If a meal is out on a counter or shelf, or in their inventory, they can grab their own meal and will sit down to eat in any chair that a toddler can use. I personally always have one sim in every household that has the Fresh Chef trait so meals never spoil...and I just leave party size group meals out on the counters for toddlers to grab whenever they get hungry.

In that rare scenario where I don't have Fresh Chef, I just have one adult cook a family meal each morning and leave it out for the toddler all day.

For building their skills, I use a lot of CC objects...not because they build the skills faster, but because they are really cute additions to the game: Toddler Basketball hoop and toddler swing for movement, toy telephone for communication and imagination, toy race track for imagination, etc. I also do like using stuffed animal (communication), blocks (thinking) and Doll Houses (imagination) though.

Shameless plug for one of my favorite CC creators who has made a TON of toddler additions to the game. For anyone who uses CC and who likes toddlers, the stuff is amazing:
https://pandasamacc.tumblr.com/
Kita5399
New Spectator
3 years ago
I often use the independent trait, especially if I have multiple toddlers. It’s great because they get a positive moodlet from “being on my own”, and they can use the potty by themselves right away.
Behappy1st
Seasoned Newcomer
3 years ago
"BK747;d-997205" wrote:
I love the toddlers in the Sims 4 and feel like I've slowly learned a lot about the best ways to build skills in order to achieve the top-notch toddler trait.

For those who don't know, the top-notch toddler trait is earned when your toddler completes level 5 of all toddler skills before aging up. The trait then gives them a boost on all future skill gains. It's a lot of work, and requires constant attention for the entirety of your sim's toddler lifespan, but definitely worth it in the long run.

I feel like there is always something new to discover that maybe I didn't realize before, so I thought it would be great to start a thread where everyone can share their best tips and tricks for building toddler skills as quickly and efficiently as possible, as well as just general tips to help in raising your little ones!

My best tips...

Movement - The slide is great, but the super cute "Play" animation that parents can initiate with the toddler seems to be an even faster way to build movement skill.

Imagination - Use the slide first before any imagination activities to get a playful moodlet. Reading books to toddlers seems to work faster than just having your toddler play with the dollhouse or toys. That said, the play tent from DHD seems to develop imagination skill at an even more accelerated pace.

Communication - Definitely the easiest toddler skill to develop in my opinion, just spam a bunch of interactions with Blarfy.

Thinking - Definitely the hardest in my opinion. Flash cards and building blocks always seem to be such a hassle and really slow to develop the skill. Having the inquisitive trait definitely makes a difference here. The key is getting to level 4 though, as once you get there, you unlock the "Ask Why" interaction, which allows you to get that last skill point very quickly. It annoys the parents tremendously, but does the trick!

General Trick - Fresh food... it doesn't refill the hunger bar as quickly as a meal and you have to eat several pieces, but it is so much easier to feed your toddlers this way. Just put a bunch of fruit and veggies in their inventory and you can quickly cue them to eat a bunch of them without the hassle of musical high chairs. It is even more effective then putting a plate of food on the floor, because who knows where the toddler will wander off to to eat that food. An added bonus with the fresh food is that they also get a happy moodlet which benefits communication and thinking skill gain!

Hope this helps with your gameplay and looking forward to reading others' tips and tricks!

If a sim teaches blocks to the toddler it goes faster. and the toddler can walk around and say whats that over and over. it gets thinking and movement up. just click on things like stove, toilet etc. and the toddler will go to each one and think whats that. And of course he's walking to each item so that covers movement.
MayaRose1138
New Traveler
3 years ago
"Stormkeep;c-18049187" wrote:
You don't need a high chair for toddlers to eat meals. If a meal is out on a counter or shelf, or in their inventory, they can grab their own meal and will sit down to eat in any chair that a toddler can use. I personally always have one sim in every household that has the Fresh Chef trait so meals never spoil...and I just leave party size group meals out on the counters for toddlers to grab whenever they get hungry.

In that rare scenario where I don't have Fresh Chef, I just have one adult cook a family meal each morning and leave it out for the toddler all day.

For building their skills, I use a lot of CC objects...not because they build the skills faster, but because they are really cute additions to the game: Toddler Basketball hoop and toddler swing for movement, toy telephone for communication and imagination, toy race track for imagination, etc. I also do like using stuffed animal (communication), blocks (thinking) and Doll Houses (imagination) though.

Shameless plug for one of my favorite CC creators who has made a TON of toddler additions to the game. For anyone who uses CC and who likes toddlers, the stuff is amazing:
https://pandasamacc.tumblr.com/

I use a lot of PandaSama’s cc for toddlers in my game, especially the xylophone as it is great for the thinking skill without having to always resort to the blocks or flash cards.

For the potty skill, if there’s more than one toddler in the house, spam them to watch the other toddler go potty and that ups their potty skill level!
JaggidEdje
3 years ago
"MayaRose1138;c-18049382" wrote:

For the potty skill, if there’s more than one toddler in the house, spam them to watch the other toddler go potty and that ups their potty skill level!

I never knew this! Thank you for sharing it. I end up with twins often in my game so that will be very useful...albeit also a little creepy.
Daephene1
New Spectator
3 years ago
Toddlers also get thinking skill from watching adults. Also from the "what's this?" object interaction.
I try to focus on thinking as much as possible up front because I think it helps learn the other skills faster but I know it makes them need less sleep so they have more hours to learn the other skills.
I usually drag food onto the counter and make the toddler go get it. That makes it easier on the adults but also works the movement skill. If their bedroom is upstairs from the kitchen they will generally max movement first mostly from this. Of course you can't wait until hunger is in the red to order them to go get it or they risk being taken away.
Any conversation with other sims moves the communication skill. My one sim maxed that first because he'd use his tablet in the same room where his older sisters did their homework and they talked to him the whole time. So blarfy is good, but if a family member is doing something they can talk while doing, you can move the skill and the relationship at the same time.
Always read the toddler to sleep. If they're going to bed anyway they may as well learn some imagination skill on the way.
mightyspritesims
Seasoned Hotshot
3 years ago
For Thinking:
"What's That?" on most household objects
"Watch" another sim do anything

eta sorry @Daephene you literally said both these things in your post above mine which I somehow missed :D
elliandre
3 years ago
I love playing with families that have toddlers. I've only got that trait once. So many things here I didn't know about. I like to give them all the Independent trait so they teach themselves how to use the potty lol and also don't get upset if they are left alone.
MayaRose1138
New Traveler
3 years ago
If you read your toddlers to sleep, and they get the Whiz Kid aspiration as a child, you can complete the “be read to by an adult for 2 hours” straight away. Multi-tasking :lol:
LatinaBunny
New Spectator
3 years ago
I love playing families, but my toddlers don’t get all of their skills done because I always forgot what objects or actions raised what skills, so I usually just let the toddlers learn some stuff from parents and then leave them to learn and explore the house/world around them and pick up skills along the way.

I definitely tend to focus on potty training, movement (my toddlers are free to move everywhere, anyway, and get food servings from the tables/surfaces), and either flash cards or stuffed animals and tablet for some other skills.

I’m still exploring/discovering ways to raise skills, so this thread’s tips are great for me, hehe.