Just like with human beings, there are a lot of different things a Sim can be good at. These things are known as skills, and The Sims 4 has amassed more than four dozen of them over the past decade, with new expansions and game packs gradually adding in new ones. At this point, the options are legion–there are more skills than most of us probably even remember. And each new expansion adds more of them–the new fairy-focused expansion, Enchanted by Nature, even added two surprisingly novel new skills for your Sims to train in. Even without adding more using The Sims 4 mods, we’re practically drowning in skills these days.
Every skill in The Sims 4 has related activities that your Sims can do to improve that skill, but there are also things a Sim can do that will increase their gains in any skill. There are several aspiration rewards you can take that will make your sim gain skills faster–Night Owl and Morning Sim will increase your skill gains at night and in the morning, respectively, and Savant will give you a 25% boost to all skill gains permanently. Taking these perks is always recommended.
Likewise, there are skill books that will help you Sim learn a skill by reading about it. But your Sim won’t max out any skills that way. Theory is good, but it can’t beat actually doing it. So if you want your Sims to master a skill, they’ll need to get their hands dirty.
And that’s why we’re making this list. Below you’ll find every single skill in The Sims 4, from vanilla through the most recent expansion, Enchanted by Nature, along with the unique activities you can do to improve them and the emotional state that’s best for each.
Skills
Cooking
- Base game
- Activities: Prepare basic food recipes using a refrigerator, oven, or grill
- Ideal emotion: focused
Gourmet cooking
- Base game
- Activities: Prepare gourmet food recipes using a refrigerator, oven, or grill
- Ideal emotion: focused
Baking
- Get to Work
- Activities: Bake something tasty using an oven or cupcake factory
- Ideal emotion: focused
Charisma
- Base game
- Activities: Use charisma speech options, practice speech with a mirror
- Ideal emotion: happy
Fitness
- Base game
- Activities: Go jogging, do push-ups and other exercises, or use workout equipment at home or the gym
- Ideal emotion: energized
Programming
- Base game
- Practice programming on a computer, or do any other action in the programming sub-menu
- Ideal emotion: focused
Rocket science
- Base game
- Activities: Build or upgrade a rocket, or explore space in one
- Ideal emotion: focused
DJ Mixing
- Get Together
- Activities: Use a DJ booth
- Ideal emotion: focused
Video gaming
- Base game
- Activities: Use a game console, or play a game on a computer
- Ideal emotion: focused
Handiness
- Base game
- Activities: Repair or upgrade household appliances
- Ideal emotion: focused
Logic
- Base game
- Activities: Play chess, use a telescope or observatory, use a microscope.
- Ideal emotion: focused
Archaeology
- Jungle Adventure
- Activities: Excavate artifacts, then study and authenticate them
- Ideal emotion: focused
Selvadoradian culture
- Jungle Adventure
- Activities: Go to Selvadorada and talk to people and eat food
- Ideal emotion: none
Flower arranging
- Seasons
- Activities: Use a flower arranging table
- Ideal emotion: focused
Painting
- Base game
- Activities: Paint a picture using an easel
- Ideal emotion: inspired
Guitar
- Base game
- Activities: Play a guitar
- Ideal emotion: inspired
Piano
- Base game
- Activities: Play a piano or keyboard
- Ideal emotion: inspired
Singing
- City Living
- Activities: Sing using a microphone or a guitar
- Ideal emotion: inspired
Pipe Organ
- Vampires
- Activities: Play a pipe organ
- Ideal emotion: inspired
Violin
- Base game
- Activities: Play a violin
- Ideal emotion: inspired
Skiing
- Snowy Escape
- Activities: Use the ski slopes in Mt. Komorebi
- Ideal emotion: focused
Snowboarding
- Snowy Escape
- Activities: Use the ski slopes in Mt. Komorebi
- Ideal emotion: focused
Vampire lore
- Vampires
- Activities: Search for vampire secrets on a computer, ask other sims about vampires, read vampire tomes
- Ideal emotion: focused
Herbalism
- Outdoor Retreat
- Activities: Practice identifying plants in Granite Falls, and brew herbal teas with them
- Ideal emotion: focused
Writing
- Base game
- Activities: Practice writing, write books, or do assignments in the writer career
- Ideal emotion: inspired or focused
Mischief
- Base game
- Activities: Do any Mischief interactions with other sims or on the computer, sabotage household items like toilets
- Ideal emotion: angry, happy, or confident
Pottery
- Businesses & Hobbies
- Activities: Use the pottery wheel
- Ideal emotion: inspired or focused
Fishing
- Base game
- Activities: Use fishing spots in lakes, rivers and oceans
- Ideal emotion: focused
Gardening
- Base game
- Activities: Do any interactions with plants
- Ideal emotion: focused
Acting
- Get Famous
- Activities: Practice acting in front of a mirror or microphone, perform in acting gigs
- Ideal emotion: confident
Media Production
- Get Famous
- Activities: Use the More Views Video Station or Mix Master Music Station
- Ideal emotion: inspired
Medium
- Paranormal Stuff Pack
- Activities: Use the seance table
- Ideal emotion: focused
Cross-stitch
- Cottage Living
- Activities: Do cross-stitching (no equipment is required)
- Ideal emotion: focused or inspired
Entrepreneur
- High School Years
- Activities: Sell things you made, like paintings and books, or by doing Simfluencer activities
- Ideal emotion: none
Gemology
- Crystal Creations Stuff Pack
- Activities: Use the gemology table
- Ideal emotion: focused
Rock Climbing
- Snowy Retreat
- Activities: Climb mountains in Mt. Komorebi or rock walls at a gym, research handhold techniques on the computer
- Ideal emotion: focused
Robotics
- Discover University
- Activities: Use a robotics workstation or modify a servo
- Ideal emotion: focused
Research and debate
- Discover University
- Activities: Use a podium or mirror to practice debate, or use a research station at a library
- Ideal emotion: focused
Bowling
- Bowling Night Stuff Pack
- Activities: Play bowling
- Ideal emotion: focused
Parenting
- Parenthood Game Pack
- Activities: Interact with your kids, read parenting forums on a computer
- Ideal emotion: happy
Veterinarian
- Cats & Dogs
- Activities: Work at a veterinary clinic
- Ideal emotion: focused
Pet Training
- Cats & Dogs
- Activities: Give your dog orders
- Ideal emotion: focused
Nectar making
- Horse Ranch
- Activities: Use a nectar maker
- Ideal emotion: focused
Photography
- Base game
- Activities: Use a camera
- Ideal emotion: inspired
Fabrication
- Eco Lifestyle
- Activities: Use a fabricator
- Ideal emotion: focused
Juice Fizzing
- Eco Lifestyle
- Activities: Use a fizzing station
- Ideal emotion: focused
Knitting
- Nifty Knitting Stuff Pack
- Activities: Have a yarn basket in your inventory and use it
- Ideal emotion: inspired
Wellness
- Spa Day
- Activities: Meditate, do yoga, get a massage
- Ideal emotion: focused
Riding
- Horse Ranch
- Activities: Ride a horse
- Ideal emotion: focused
Tattooing
- Businesses & Hobbies
- Activities: Practice on sketchpad, or use a tattooing table
- Ideal emotion: focused
Mixology
- Base game
- Activities: Make drinks at a bar
- Ideal emotion: inspired
Comedy
- Base game
- Activities: Do comedy interactions, write jokes on a computer, practice jokes at a microphone
- Ideal emotion: playful
Spellcasting
- Realm of Magic
- Activities: Do magic, use a cauldron
- Ideal emotion: focused
Apothecary
- Enchanted by Nature
- Activities: Use an apothecary table to study cures, and craft various elixirs like cures or other, less wholesome things.
- Ideal emotion: focused
Natural Living
- Enchanted by Nature
- Activities: Forage for anything by clicking the ground, bathe in a natural body of water, sleep outside on the ground, use a Privy Bush instead of a toilet.
- Ideal emotion: none
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