July’s Sims 4 update to add option to cook and garden together, new hairstyle too

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Despite some players (ahem, maybe this writer too) enjoying the mayhem and destruction that comes with the responsibility of being in charge of lives in The Sims 4, there is a whole lot of wholesomeness that comes with the game, too.

And with the next base game update for The Sims 4, we’ll get a whack of wholesome. Ahead of the release of the Cottage Living Expansion Pack, more group activities, liking cooking and gardening together, will be added to the base game.

During an Inside Maxis live stream on Tuesday, the team revealed that cooking and gardening together – child Sims included – will form part of the pre-expansion pack patch. These group activities will help child Sims build their mental skill all while bonding over buns.

Just to be clear – these features will be added with the July update. As in, it is still coming in the future. So, not to be confused with the Sims 4 June 2021 update which was rolled out on Tuesday.

The way to a Sims player’s heart is through their stomach

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Sims can also gain a new Sentiment from their combined culinary adventures, as revealed the live stream.

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Let’s talk about family time! In the next game update, The Sims will be able to do more things with their family, such as cooking together.

Group cooking allows you to select up to five Sims together to cook a meal. It allows you to gain relationships while creating better quality meals and more servings. In addition to any Sim that’s on a player slot, Children can also be chosen to cook with an adult. They will gain Mental Skill as a part while doing this. Sims that cook together can gain a new Sentiment!

Gardening and growing as a group in The Sims 4

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Child Sims will finally get green thumbs with a new update coming to the base game in July 2021. Photo: Inside Maxis Live Stream

Group gardening is also being added and children no longer being excluded from having their thumbs turn green. If they want to get involved with the nitty-gritty stuff, they’ll have to work on their mental skill first, tough.

They can, however, talk to plants and ask pertinent questions like what does the sun taste like? (Ed’s note: I absolutely LOVE this question).

Let’s also talk about kids gardening! Children will be able to water, weed, plant and harvest crops! They cannot use the vertical garden from Eco Lifestyle though. Water is available to all Children but weed, plant and harvest are unlocked by Mental Skill thresholds. Children and Toddlers will also be able to talk to plants ? it’s such a cute interaction! Toddlers babble or talk depending on Communication Skill; Children will have a few random renames of interactions like ?How does the Sun taste??.

Teens, Young Adults and Elder Sims with enough Gardening Skill can also teach about Plants to Child Sims ? a social that provides a child with Mental Skills! All Sims who can plant Seeds (Teens, Young Adults and Elders) with enough Mental Skills will also have an option on gardening containers (Pots, Planters, Patches etc.) to plant the seeds in their inventory.

New hairstyle coming with the Sims 4 July update

Another hairstyle will also be added to The Sims 4 base game with the next patch, with the team sharing a quick preview during Tuesday’s stream.

new sims 4 hairstyle

There might be even more additions to The Sims 4 base game ahead of the release of Cottage Living and more details about what to expect form the upcoming expansion is likely to be revealed in the next two weeks.