Game · Low risk
Is The Sims 4 safe for your child?
Age guide
13+
We advise The Sims 4 from age 13 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk).
- 5-8
- Younger players can enjoy the simplified build mode and character creation, focusing on making colorful houses and unique Sims without deep gameplay management.
- 9-12
- Players in this age range can manage their Sims' emotions, develop skills, and pursue basic careers, learning about cause and effect in a simulated environment.
- 13-15
- Teenagers might explore more complex social dynamics, romantic relationships, and family legacies, using the game to tell detailed stories and experiment with different life paths.
- 16+
- Older players often engage with advanced gameplay mechanics, extensive custom content, and community challenges, pushing the boundaries of architectural design and narrative storytelling within the game.
The Sims 4 is a life simulation game where players create and control virtual people ('Sims') in a virtual world. Players build homes, manage relationships, pursue careers, and guide their Sims through life events.
- Age guide
- 13+
- Overall risk
- 3/10
- Violence
- 1/10
- Toxic behaviour
- 2/10
- Stranger contact
- 1/10
- Addiction risk
- 8/10
- Language
- 2/10
- Influence
- 4/10
What parents should know
The Sims 4 is a life simulation game where players create virtual characters, build homes, and manage their daily lives and relationships. It emphasizes creativity, emotional management, and storytelling through its gameplay. Parents should be aware of themes including romance, 'WooHoo' (implied sexual activity), and death, which are integral to the life simulation experience.
What to do about The Sims 4
Free with a Parentwise account. The age-by-age verdict needs your child's age, which is why it lives behind the account.
- The age-by-age verdict
What we advise for under 8, 8-12 and 13+ - our age guide for The Sims 4 is 13+, and the answer changes with your child's age. - The one setting to change tonight
The exact The Sims 4 setting that cuts the most risk, with the steps to find it. - What to say
Word-for-word openers for talking about The Sims 4 without a row. - Red flags to watch for
The signals in The Sims 4 that mean it is time to step in.
The Sims 4 age rating and parents guide: common questions
What age rating is The Sims 4?
Parentwise puts The Sims 4 at 13+. We advise The Sims 4 from age 13 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk). Violence scores 1/10, language 2/10, stranger contact 1/10 and addiction risk 8/10.
Can a 10 year old play The Sims 4?
Not by default: we advise The Sims 4 from 13+, so at 10 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. Players in this age range can manage their Sims' emotions, develop skills, and pursue basic careers, learning about cause and effect in a simulated environment.
Can a 12 year old play The Sims 4?
Not by default: we advise The Sims 4 from 13+, so at 12 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. Players in this age range can manage their Sims' emotions, develop skills, and pursue basic careers, learning about cause and effect in a simulated environment.
Can a 13 year old play The Sims 4?
Yes, 13 is at or above the age we advise for The Sims 4 (13+). Teenagers might explore more complex social dynamics, romantic relationships, and family legacies, using the game to tell detailed stories and experiment with different life paths.
Is The Sims 4 appropriate for kids?
The Sims 4 is a life simulation game where players create virtual characters, build homes, and manage their daily lives and relationships. Parentwise rates The Sims 4 overall as low risk (3/10), with stranger contact at 1/10 and addiction risk at 8/10.
Is The Sims 4 family friendly?
The Sims 4 is one of the lower-risk titles we rate. It emphasizes creativity, emotional management, and storytelling through its gameplay.
The Sims 4 parents guide: what should a parent know first?
The Sims 4 is a life simulation game where players create virtual characters, build homes, and manage their daily lives and relationships. The parts that most often catch parents out are stranger contact (1/10) and how hard it pulls for more time (8/10).
Is The Sims 4 safe for kids?
We advise The Sims 4 from age 13 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk). It emphasizes creativity, emotional management, and storytelling through its gameplay.
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Release and popularity data comes in part from RAWG, TVMaze (CC BY-SA) and Wikidata (CC0). Safety guidance is written by Parentwise.