Forum Discussion
"LSM36;c-16928051" wrote:
Another thread inspired me with more baby etc ideas."LSM36;c-16928030" wrote:"sparkfairy1;d-880216" wrote:
So as an aside from the family play thread chat I wanted to offer people a place to suggest their ideas for a perfect scenarios for toddlers in TS4 in a bite size format as suggested by a couple of users in General Discussion. (Thank you @mskube and @Cinebar !)
Everyone is welcome but please respect each other's ideas and boundaries. We all want the best from the sims for us and we all have different likes/dislikes. Use this as your ideas board for the developers to pop in and see at a glance what would make you happy for toddlers either in this version or in the future!
I'll start with a few ideas-
I would love to see the developers be able to use multitasking to make the 'job' of parenting much more efficient-giving sims the option to carry their little ones while watching TV, feeding, using the phone. To me this would really make the multitasking system 'shine' brighter than what we have seen up to now.
I would like to see customisation for the little ones in a big way. It's a really fun stage in life to buy clothes, toys and costumes and I would like to see that sort of joy within the game.
Also I would love to see the dynamics of the family change in reaction to the toddler age-the 'no' phase, the little tantrums and everything challenging that is a lot of fun!
Links to ideas so far-
General themes-top of page 20-LINK HERE
General themes.
Toddlers should be able to be player controlled-it will enable the player to decide how much mischief the toddlers get into, allows them to develop their personalities according to their ideas as a player, opens up a great deal of play which was missing before.
Starting from scratch and gradually learning. Learning through play, observation, and as a mix between discovering by themselves or by learning with others(also player controlled so please no linear tasks like do x 5 times!). Obvious different stages shown in behaviour and animation.
Able to interact with all other age groups. This is paramount. Being able to feel like a toddler is at the centre of a family, a part of it instead of aside to.
Mischief-toddlers should be a challenge and be able to cause mayhem like drawing on walls, playing in unsuitable areas, getting filthy and being noisy etc. Perhaps features to help parents 'kid proof' the home to avoid so much of this-such as baby gates etc.
Using produce to feed the toddlers-perhaps getting special learning abilities from meals with good nutritional value?
Exploring their environment-Toddlers should be able to mimic their real life counterparts somewhat-getting into everything, curiosity on high etc
Special interactions with close family/friends-players believing the toddlers know who those special people are.
Demanding attention-Being able to communicate wants-perhaps when unskilled without able to prompt what they want but using pointing etc, graduating up to talking to communicate what they are after once they have learnt that skill.
Special 'chosen' toy-if this toy is 'lost', taken away or not available they should be sad/angry, special 'loved' moodlet or something when they are close to it.
Using basic objects in game-using furniture to lean against, pull up on, getting into bookcase and removing books, removing trash from bins, naps on sofas, sleep on floor, fingerprints on furniture, hiding under, steal food from fridges etc.
Multitasking should be well illustrated with toddlers-aiding the sim parent to parent while busy. Watching TV while cuddling, hold toddler while on phone, toddlers placed somewhere to watch parents garden or cook etc.
Daycare-playable career, able to hire extra staff, specialisation for teaching toddlers, reading to groups of toddlers and children, group activities for skilling and other play activities.
Different levels of care for toddlers-Live in nanny, Visiting nanny, babysitter. Perhaps cost tied to performance? Cheaper care doesn't address skilling but more expensive can address this?
Babysitting siblings-Older siblings like teens should be able to skill up in taking care of toddlers and children in their care. Perhaps aid parenting in later life?
Changing dynamic of family acknowledged-children/teens getting jealous of toddler attention or excited to have a new play mate?
Pre school-allowing care and skilling for toddlers.
Traits affecting behaviour.
Skill building success benefits long term learning-'bright start'.
Good provision in CAS-enough difference to be able to style toddlers well without too much repetition of the same content. Perhaps different colour hair/skins. Also good provision in later packs.
Milestones-affect the whole family. Family pride in getting to those milestones and ability to share proud moments with other sims.
Better provision for grandparents-Ability to call to ask to visit and babysit, Special grandparent interactions and relationships, Experienced teacher for skills etc.
Outdoor activities and parenting away from home-allow toddlers to be a part of picnics, camping, visiting etc with 'pack n play' to allow the parent to keep them occupied with play or sleep while out of the home. Freedom to parent outside of the home!
Interactions in the future with pets-toddlers able to make lasting bonds with their family pets.
Supernatural toddlers with special abilities-based on their supernatural states.
Parents traits/skill level aid in teaching specific skills-boost for teaching subjects the parent excels at.
Parenting skills/Couples Counselling-aids in relationship and ease of dealing with toddlers, toddlers should be aware of family they are growing up in etc.
Special socialising opportunities-Parenting and Lamaze classes, mom and dad clubs, parent and baby clubs, Play dates.
Baby Celebrations-Birthdays, Baby showers etc.
Food preferences-toddler has favourites, dislikes and reacts to food given.
Well brought up=less intense emotions swing/less chance of death by emotion-taught the ability to cope better.
Parents and siblings can scold and praise-User directed!
Ability to take photos/video of all family unit
Introduce toddler before stranger sim can interact.
Edit spaces to be kid friendly!
Cross Generational Play, Supernaturals and Pets just below the top of page 35 and further down on this page is Emotions, Skills and skilling, then another section for Milestones, Caring for the toddler and Furniture and CAS. here
Cross Generational Play
Clearly it is very important given the amount of comments regarding this so far in the thread that effective cross generational play is a way to elevate the experience with toddlers from the experiences we have seen in the past. A common theme is that players want to see the toddler be clearly a part of their wider family activities and allow the fellow toddlers, children and teens to have a better access to a better relationship and even to be able to get involved in the care of their siblings.
Suggestions for interactions across generations-
Bathe
Serve food or Provide tippy cups to address hunger need.
Peek a boo
Sing/Teach lullabies
Tell bedtime stories (or be able to sit in when parent/other child is doing so with the toddler)
Play dress up
Play together with and without toys
Aww interaction
Family kiss
Splash
Read books or sing lullabies to sleep
Rock to sleep
Put the toddler's ear to phone when on a call to allow to listen to voice
Potty train
Take/Teach to Swim
Patty Cakes
Shh interaction
Dance with/Teach to dance
Help brush teeth
Sheet fort/tents
Making toddler toys on the work bench.
Mimicking older siblings
Daydream/stargaze with
Give piggy back ride
Play pretend
Tickle
Watch TV together
'Helicopter' rides.
Ideas for moodlets in regards to toddlers for siblings
'In the way' aggravated because the toddler is demanding too much attention.
'Sibling to play with' happy to have a new sibling who they can play with.
Proper interactions with Pets in the future.
This is a popular theme with the main interactions requested to do with curiosity at meeting and engaging with pets and being able to cultivate a loving relationship too with plenty of options to socialise.
Supernatural requests-
Special interactions for toddler supernaturals based on the type of supernatural they are. Cute seeing the tots learn their new 'skills' or 'powers'.
Emotions-
Angry, Happy, Sad, Scared, Cranky
Perhaps starting with basic emotional states then gaining new ones as they learn key skills and start to access more complex emotional states?
Could affect success of what toddlers try to do-example given if parents allow them to use toys etc that make them energised they will struggle to sleep? Attentive Parents encouraging using appropriate toys before bed.
Perhaps some toddlers have moodlets based on their surroundings affecting their emotions?
Some suggestions
Hates strangers
Family love
One based on mixing with extended family
Grandparent moodlets
A proud emotion would be really good for acknowledging the challenge and rewards for bringing up the toddlers.
Skills-
A common request is to allow toddlers to skill alone and with help. Independence is a big theme.
Sliding scale of success to display progress in learning? for example seeing wobbly toddler graduates through to a good toddler walk.
Some suggestions of skills
Talking skill
Feeding themselves
Keeping clean
Arts and Crafts
Singing
Dancing
Logic
Surroundings skill-becoming aware of surroundings and reacting to them
Handiness
Swimming
Sharing Ability
Potty
ABCs
Music
Bed-being able to graduate to a toddler bed rather than a crib.
Ideas for how to skill
Story time-being able to learn to read basic toddler books by themselves-start with learning from others
Using tricycles or other toddler fun transport
Music-singing and instruments
Using something similar to the leapfrog system to learn independently
Ability to use objects to learn independently or with parents/siblings depending on the preferences of the player.
Unlocking progress with skills? Such as when toddlers learn to speak their parents being able to communicate more effectively what they are asking for making parenting less frustrating as they learn.
Perhaps to unlock new ways to play with toys as they learn and also as they grow-so toys being appropriate across different generations.
Often asked is to be able to retain and display any arts/crafts toddlers create!
Milestones
Ability for the family to share in important milestones-feeling of pride and inclusion for others as well as just parents and toddlers.
Ideas for milestones-
Various skill completions-especially those which make the toddler more independent such as walking, talking, potty etc.
Caring for the toddler-
Various options based on type of parenting, cost and what the parents want from it.
Live in nanny-ability to allow a close live in nanny to teach, care and look out for toddlers while parents are busy at any time of the day or night.
Nanny-Good quality nanny to care for, teaching and support parents while they are out of the home.
Babysitter-Perhaps a cheaper, less effective option? Maybe less likely to teach, and slower than the more expensive options?
Pre schools-Ability to send toddler as an option to a preschool with different specialities and to meet other children?
Daycare-People want to be able to run their own daycare business-with enhanced abilities for group tasks while little ones of all generations are learning and playing. Challenge but ability to deal with multiple children/tots etc in one go through tasks and ability to effectively keep them in the daycare area which is appropriate-gates to keep them safely in those areas? Ability to set the locks for different age ranges to allow children to pass but not tots?
Furniture and CAS-
People want a good mix and provision of CAS features and furniture of different styles to cater to their different tastes in game.
Ideas for themes-
Princesses, Dinosaurs, Primary and Pastel colours, Animals, Robots, and a slightly more 'grown up' fashion toddler section for the little ones.
In CAS people want a lot of options for different hair styles and colours so the options don't get stale and they can have traditional or more fashionable looks for their little tots.
Ideas for interactions-including general, with others, mischief and others! On page 41 here
Interactions-(some will bleed into other categories)
General
Toss in Air
Crawl up
Poke for attention
Teething and related interactions
Fussy-fussing about things they don't fancy doing for whatever reason
Drooling
Explore-this is a wide idea but including 'dirty' situations like climbing in or knocking over bins etc, exploring their environment, using their various senses too!
Singing-learning lullabies, singing along to music
Clapping-along to music etc
Share-this is a really popular concept for tots to learn
'Up, up' gesture
Burp
Pamper
Wake Parents
Relationship with others
Watch others-suggestions include allowing tots to watch parents cook etc
Cuddle- suggestions on legs, on the lap, on the couch and with the ability to have cuddles from other tots all the way through the ages
Peek a boo
Family Kisses
Rock
With objects etc
Swim-from aided in beginning learning to swim unaided
Play in toilet-other suggestions 'wash' toys or objects in toilet, block toilet with objects
Splash puddles
Solve-for puzzles etc-aided and unaided.
Watch/react to TV
Escape from crib
Put themselves to bed in toddler bed
Reading
Play with TV remote
Play with parents phone
Blow bubbles
Playing interactions
Tea Party
Play in mud
Hide 'n' Seek
Mischief
Temper tantrum-a lot of players are requesting this is also able to be player controlled should they wish it.
Time out-consequences to misbehaving!
Chew on (getting hold of things and chewing on them like real life tots!)
Grab hair
Climb into-various areas-in cupboards etc
Misc.
Vomiting-perhaps being played with in unsuitable ways straight after eating, illness or random occurance.
For other ages to do with toddlers-
Ability to pass toddler to another without putting down first
Ability for others to talk to or coo over toddler while in another sims arms
'Ask what's wrong' perhaps unlocked as the talking skill is learnt to make caring for tots easier
Ability to bathe toddler in sink/bath/dedicated toddler baths
Ideas for content-On page 48 here
Content
There has been so many fantastic ideas for content to go alongside toddlers so I will try to sort them into different categories. There are wonderful pictures posted throughout the thread so please make sure to click through and see visual clues too! Many of the content will overlap categories but I will do my best to get some order!
General
Nap blanket-a blanket for laying on the floor so the tots can nap there
Toddler gate-to keep the tots from getting out alone
Toddler carry harness-for walking etc
Toddler reins
Sippy Cups
Night light/star projectors
Pack 'n' play for while out of the house-toy, sleeping mat and food
Diaper bag
Furniture
Toddler beds-little beds the toddler can use independently of care givers-a step up from cribs idea for Multi baby/toddler crib/ bed
Cribs-plenty of choices of traditional, modern and character based
Strollers-to take the toddlers out. Perhaps with a carry bag for taking care of tots while out of the house-maybe a sleep mat and a little toy etc
Walker-To help the little tots learn and for fun at the same time.
Playpen-indoor and outdoor versions and a few styles to fit with various decor
Sand box-hopefully available for use for all ages
Kiddy pool-little paddle pool for kids and tots to play in safely
High Chairs-self explanatory but some great ideas for ones which 'snap' to the table so caregiver can feed them from the table as they eat.
Kiddy chairs-mini versions for little tots!
Rocking chair-comforting for care giver and the tots
Changing table
Potty
Bouncers
Indoor swing for comfort
Toys
Tea sets for toy tea parties
Swings for tots as well as children
Rocking playground equipment
Clay enabled for tots
Art station-drawing, brick building etc but with ability to retain the art they create and display around the house
Instruments-xylophone, triangle etc
Kitchen playset
Bubble blowing
Floaties for pool
Learning toys
Stuffed animals
Dolls
Battery cars
Boxes to decorate for play
Sidewalk chalk
Balloons
Buildable puppet theatre
Mobiles
Seesaws
Merry go round
Trampolines
Toy phones
Play doh
Lego
Imaginary friends
Green bar edit by SimStaffBethelle:
Posted by SimGuruDrake
Before I head off for the evening I wanted to come in and say that I am moving this to the general discussion area.
Please do not comment in here with "I don't want toddlers" or anything of the sort. This is an ideas thread for those players who do and what they would like to see from this life state and it should remain as such.
First of all, all of that. I have to go slowly through it, there's so much.
But here I go,
There needs to be more life stages especially if we update toddlers.
1. Babies need to be updated, and be differentiated from toddlers. You don't just learn to talk as a toddler. You babble as a baby, learn 1 word and repeat it over and over again. And Then you start talking a bit as a toddler.
I want first time sitting up as a baby milestone. Getting into blended foods. Mashed peas etc.
Making a really stinky diaper.
Accidentally peeing on your parent/diaper changer.
Trying to put anything you get in your hands into your mouth.
Crawling. Doing the pulling up from sitting thing, using something to hold you up so can stand.
2. Then toddlers starting from crawling, and already know how to stand. Working up to walking.
Crawling and scooting while they work on it.
Speaking a mix of baby talk and adult words til they learn new ones. You're a toddler from like 2-6. We should be able to see some change.
Like a Toddler.2 stage where you're like 5, know a lot of words but still can't talk straight. Have tantrums and need naps. But you can walk w/o falling, but not run without falling.
3. Little kids stage 6-8(9). You can run around, play. Love toys and cuddles. You know not to pet the dog or cat too hard. You just started school, but your only hw is flash cards and readers.
4. THEN we get kids. The kind we have now with some upgrades. Still silly, but you walk to school by yourself next. You can grab water ice on the way home and not get yelled at. You can go to the library with your older sibs and complain that you don't need a babysitter. Ages 9-11. TWEENS.
5. Now PRETEENS 11-12. You're big, you're bad, you're in the double digits and THIS close to being a teenager. You look and sound Exactly the same. Maybe gained an inch in height. And no one can tell you ANYTHING.
6. THEN TEENS. Same as now but less lame. I wrote in other threads my opinions on teens. Prom ,driving,etc. Limited dating functions. Maybe marry your hs sweetheart after graduation. A special option only for the deepest teen love.
7. But! YA needs a rite of passage event. You turned 18 (and we're like UK in this) and hookah and nectar all day. College. Dating. You could date an elder if you wanted. The first year you should look like you do as a teen but with an aura of attitude a mile long.
8. 2nd year of YA is your Glow Up year. Literally just a sim month or two into it, you look how you're gonna look. With room for makeovers if you want.
Yeah think that's it.
I’d love this.
