Stardew Valley: How to Have Children

In Stardew Valley, having children adds a heartwarming element to your farm life, enhancing the game's family aspect. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps to have children, the requirements, and the mechanics involved.

What You Need to Have Kids

Before you can have children in Stardew Valley, you need to meet several prerequisites:

• Marriage: First, you need to marry an NPC. This involves reaching ten hearts with a potential spouse, giving them a bouquet to start dating, and then presenting them with a Mermaid's Pendant to propose. The Mermaid's Pendant can be purchased from the Old Mariner on a rainy day at the beach after you've upgraded your farmhouse once​​​​.
  
• House Upgrades: Your farmhouse needs to be upgraded twice. The first upgrade, costing 10,000 gold and 450 wood, adds a kitchen. The second upgrade, which costs 50,000 gold and 150 hardwood, adds two extra rooms, one of which is a nursery with a crib​​.
  
• Marital Status: You must have been married for at least seven days and maintain a ten-heart relationship with your spouse​​​​.
  

How to Actually Have Kids

Having Biological Kids
Once you meet the prerequisites, there is a 5% chance each night that your spouse will ask if you want to have a child. If you agree, your character or your spouse will become pregnant. The pregnancy lasts 14 days, after which the baby will appear in the crib, and you can name your new child​​​​.

Adopting Kids

For same-sex couples or those who choose to adopt, the process is slightly different. If you agree to have a child, your spouse will file adoption papers, and after 14 days, an adoption agency will deliver the baby in the middle of the night​​​​.

Raising Your Kids

Children in Stardew Valley grow through several stages:

• Stage 1 (Baby): For the first 14 days, the baby will remain in the crib. Interacting with the baby will show a message that the baby is sleeping​​.
  
• Stage 2 (Baby): For the next 14 days, the baby will stand in the crib, and you can interact by tossing the baby, which increases your relationship with them​​.
  
• Stage 3 (Toddler): For 28 days, the child will crawl around the house and play with toys. They will return to the crib at night​​.
  
• Stage 4 (Toddler): The child will begin walking around the house and can sleep in a bed, freeing up the crib for another baby​​​​.

How to Manage and Play with Your Kids

Children in Stardew Valley cannot be given gifts, but you can interact with them daily to increase your friendship level. Each interaction, such as tossing them in the air, raises the relationship by 20 points. Unlike other relationships, there is no decay once you reach ten hearts with your children​​.

If You Wanna Get Rid of the Kids

If you decide you no longer want children, you can dismiss them by offering a Prismatic Shard to the Dark Shrine of Selfishness in the Witch’s Hut. This turns the children into doves, removing them permanently from your farm. However, this action is irreversible, and you will need to replace the crib if you want more children in the future​​.

Why Having Kids is Great in Stardew Valley

Having children in Stardew Valley offers several benefits beyond the charm and personal satisfaction of raising a virtual family. Here are some key advantages:

• Enhanced Farm Aesthetics: Children bring life and vibrancy to your farmhouse. Watching them grow and interact with the environment adds a dynamic element to your farm.
  
• Increased Social Interaction: Having children provides additional daily interactions that can boost your in-game relationships, making your virtual family life more engaging.
  
• Events and Dialogues: Children add new dialogues and events, enriching the storyline and providing a deeper narrative experience. Your spouse and other villagers will occasionally comment on your children, adding more depth to the social aspect of the game​​​​.
  

Getting Ready for Kids

Preparation is key to ensuring a smooth transition into parenthood in Stardew Valley. Here are some tips to get ready for having kids:

• Save Up: Make sure you got enough gold for the house upgrades and any other stuff. The second house upgrade alone costs 50,000 gold and 150 hardwood.
  
• Get Materials: Gather all the stuff you need for the upgrades ahead of time. This includes hardwood, which can be gathered from large stumps and logs on your farm or in the Secret Woods.
  
• Keep the Love Alive: Keep a strong bond with your spouse. Regular gifts, attention, and completing their personal quests will keep your relationship at the necessary ten-heart level, making it more likely for the child request event to trigger​​ .
  

Raising and Playing with Your Kids

Raising children in Stardew Valley involves regular interaction and attention. Here are some ways to engage with your children and enhance your family life:

• Daily Interaction: Make it a habit to interact with your children daily. This increases their happiness and your relationship points. Simple actions like tossing them in the air can contribute to building a stronger bond.
  
• Creating a Child-Friendly Environment: Decorate the nursery and other parts of your house with toys and child-friendly items. This not only makes the environment more welcoming for your children but also enhances the overall aesthetics of your farmhouse.
  
• Incorporating Children into Farm Life: Although children in Stardew Valley do not contribute to farm work, including them in your daily routine can enrich your gameplay experience. Create a storyline around their presence, imagining how they would interact with various farm animals and activities.
  

Got Questions?

Wrapping It Up

Having children in Stardew Valley adds a delightful dynamic to the game, enriching your farm life with family interactions. By meeting the necessary prerequisites and understanding the stages of child development, you can enjoy the full experience of raising a family in Stardew Valley. Whether opting for biological or adopted children, the process is straightforward and rewarding, enhancing the depth and charm of your farming adventure.