[Top 10] The Sims 4 Best Family Mods (2021 Edition)

Create those profound moments in the lives of your Sims. 

The leap from The Sims to The Sims 2 was huge, implementing life stages, neighborhood drama, memories, and more into our favorite life simulation game. Similarly, the jump from The Sims 2 to The Sims 3 also promised an expansive Open World with color swatches and the likes of such forward-thinking concepts. The jump from 3 to 4 however, was much quieter and a lot of the previous additions were left behind in past iterations of the game. While no one can deny that the graphics and the build mode are at the best they've ever been in the series, the gameplay often falls short for many Simmers. As Family gameplay is some of the most popular playstyles in the Sims universe, it's only natural that modders would develop content that takes us further into the world of family dynamics. Check out these Top Ten Family Mods below if you're looking to add more realism and conflict into your Sims 4 Family's life. 

10. First Love by LittleMsSam

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Experience first love in this cute mod from LittleMsSam

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHaEOW9ExeY

In our first mod showcase for this list, LittleMsSam brings us possibly the sweetest and most innocent of mods, First Love. Your child Sims can now fall in love with the cute NPC that keeps coming by after school. Start by developing a crush and building your Sim’s relationship to First Love status. Once they’ve felt those first love butterflies they’ll have the option to Ask to be Boyfriend/Girlfriend. A fitting mod for any family-oriented storyline. 

• The interactions between the two Sims are genuinely sweet and age-appropriate (no First Kiss option). 
• The mod will prompt new interactions for your Sim, that help guide you through building the relationship. 
• If the Sims age up into teens and meet again within seven days of the age up, they will automatically gain a half-full romance bar, meaning you can carry this crush into their high school years and further on if you so choose.

You can download First Love on https://littlemssam.tumblr.com/post/175413073848/first-love-this-was-actually-not-something-that-i

9. Playable Cats and Dogs by Andrew and Orangemittens

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Now you can really know what your pets are thinking and feeling.

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXEnRHAsfBU

One of the greatest mysteries of The Sims 4 is why Cats and Dogs aren’t playable like they were in Sims 2 and Sims 3. Andrew and Orangemittens fix this issue and give us playable cats and dogs with all the in-game features they should inherently have. Your pets can now truly be a part of your Sims family as you now have the option to take care of their needs, build relationships, and get into trouble.

• This mod includes all the quirky traits of your animals now as clickable interactions such as jumping on counters or growling at the oven. 
• With this mod, you can establish relationships between pets and make the family cat and dog the best of friends, or despise each other. 

You can download Playable Cats and Dogs on https://sims4studio.com/post/89311

8. Mortem Mod by SimRealist Victor Andrade

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz3EcwW5Olc

Sims' deaths are relatively sudden; within minutes Grim is there reaping their soul, leaving you with nothing but a 2-day sad moodlet and undistinguished tombstone. With this mod, you’ll now have a longer grieving process including bereavement leave, a condolence visit from the neighbors, and the option to have a funeral for your deceased Sim. Once a Sim dies you’ll call the coroner and begin the grieving process as he'll take the body off your hands (no more Grim), after which you can begin to make the Final Arrangements. For those who play a family for generations, this is a good addition to your gameplay as it allows you to properly send off your elder Sims, making life and death come full circle.

• The bereavement leave and funeral option give your Sim an appropriate time to mourn, which is a much-needed feature as the sad moodlet typically stalls them from doing their day-to-day activities.
• The funeral event is entirely customizable down from whether you want your Sim buried or cremated to what your Sims will wear to mourn the loss of their loved one.
• You still have the option to bury your Sim right there in the backyard garden, for those not always wanting to go through all the motions of a funeral. 

You can download the Mortem Mod on https://simrealist.itch.io/mortem

7. Education System Bundle by KawaiiStacie

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YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQY67GILy-A

There are so many schooling options for real-life children these days, it's a wonder why the Sims 4 team decided not to include them in this generation of gameplay. Mods have us covered of course, and there is none more inclusive than KawaiiStacie’s Education Bundle, which includes something for every younger generation of Sims. Send your Tods to preschool where they can now build skills without the help of your adult Sim. Or keep your Sim home for the day and attend online school where they will attend an online lecture to increase their grade, build skills, and make new friends. If you are looking for more out of the Rabbit Hole education system of the Sims 4, then this is the mod for you. 

• There is a private, public, and homeschool option for toddlers, with each type of school building skills at different speeds.
• The online option is nice because if you need to keep your Sim home because of low needs, they can still improve their grade and won’t get docked for the mental health day. 
• New interactions at grade school and high school can increase or decrease more of your Sims' needs, while also having the option to complete their homework while at school. 

You can download the Education System Bundle on https://kawaiistacie.tumblr.com/post/623825414843924480/education-system-bundle-mod-this-mod-adds

6. Spend Weekend With Mod by LittleMsSam

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Have a weekend at Grandma and Grandpas! Or what about a fun sleepover with friends? Whatever it takes to get them out of the house. 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC-NFP8r4MA

As much as we love our younger Sims a house of eight can be overwhelming, even for the most skilled Sim player. The Spend Weekend With mod allows you to take that much-needed break and send away your virtual children and pets away for the weekend. While away Sims have a chance of increasing skills, making friends, and most importantly of all, temporarily reducing your house size to a more manageable number. 

• You can send Sims away for as long as you wish. 
• Children and teen Sims who are sent away will return with their homework completed.
• Sims who are away are disabled from dying or aging automatically but an add-on re-enables these features for Simmers who want that risk.

You can download the Spend Weekend With mod on https://littlemssam.tumblr.com/post/179252225808/spend-weekend-with-send-your-kids-away-to-visit

5. Cycle Mod by NeonOcean

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Safety first is the emphasis of this mod. Image courtesy of NeonOcean. 

While Slice of LIfe has a Cycle pack you can download, I decided to showcase this mod because it adds the addition of risky pregnancies and fertility treatment. This mod not only gives your Sims a menstrual cycle in which they will have to deal with biweekly but also makes it harder for your Sim to get pregnant (or easier, depending on when and what you are doing). 

• If you are looking to keep it PG and family-friendly, The Cycle will add the realistic element to Wohoo interactions without having to venture into the NSFW Wicked Whims world. 
• Future editions of this mod promise to bring in dark, more difficult subject matter that will further your Sims family into real-life scenarios. 
• The addition of fertility treatments, birth control, and morning-after pills can help you guide the gameplay a little bit, so your household size is entirely at the mercy of the mod. 

You can download the Cycle mod on https://www.neonoceancreations.com/mods/s4/cycle/

4. After School Activities Mod by KawaiiStacie

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Theatre kids, jocks, and band geeks! There's a club for everyone in this mod. 

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXmEMxbwPuE

Typically with every list, there is one creator that dominates, and for this list that is none other than KawaiiStacie, who brings some of the most interactive and expansive mods to the world of custom content. Children and Teenagers are without a doubt lacking in the Sims 4 as they have limited interactions outside of just being a pre-adult. This mod will help spice up your adolescent Sims lives and help them gain skills along the way! Although there are a handful of after-school programs in the game already, this mod expands on the concept and introduces your Sims to Anime Club, Yoga Club, Football, and much, much more! 

• With over thirty different after-school activities to choose from, there really is a club for every type of Sim. 
• After-school programs will increase younger Sim’s skills, which will make them eligible for more scholarships later on.

You can download the After School Activities Mod on https://www.kawaiistaciemods.com/post/after-school-activities

3. The Sims 4 Go To School Mod by Zerbu

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It's Get to Work, but for children and teens!

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ2Baapbu7s&t=13s

Get to Work was the first expansion pack for Sims 4, and while the option to join your Sim at work was a fun gameplay feature, it wasn’t without faults. Zerbu’s mod expands the idea of joining your Sim at work to joining your Sim at school, which would have been a game-changer for the original pack. Join your child Sim in Elementary school or your teenage Sim in High School as they embark on their journey of knowledge and peer interactions. Get more fulfillment from your younger Sims as they interact with NPC school staples like their teacher, the janitor, or school counselor, and participate in activities that will improve their skills. Like, Get to Work you Sim will have a task list that will boost student’s grades as they complete goals throughout the day. 

• Each day will teach a different subject where students can declare a liking or disliking for, making each day unique which is an improvement from the repetitive job duties of Get to Work. 
• The mod comes with two new aspirations, Renowned Teacher and Knowledge Pixie, and three new traits that are unlockable once you’ve completed the aspiration. 
• Special features like guest speakers and costume day make it feel all the more like a real school. 

You can download Get To School on https://zerbu.tumblr.com/post/160319209200/the-sims-4-go-to-school-mod-pack-v4

2. Life’s Drama Mod by Sacrificial

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Live all of life's drama with mod from Sacrificial. 

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxvtCblef84

Sacrificial’s mod library is well rounded and while they are known for their darker mods they also offer family-friendly and lighter gameplay mods. Life’s Drama mod may not necessarily be friendly, but it’ll bring your favorite teen comedy Mean Girls right into your game. As implied in the name, this mod adds life drama to your NPCs and gameplay and adds a popularity system that will expand on the in-game aspiration even further. Your Sim can contribute to social causes, gain trust and expose secrets, or help another Sim in their popularity pursuit. This mod will for sure make your Sim’s neighborhood more lively and the consequences of their actions more significant.

• In the social causes situation, you can choose to support causes like the LGTBQ community, fight animal abuse, and stand against racism to name a few and all will contribute to your popularity. 
• Once enabled, dramatic situations will start occurring around your Sim at random; they can be relatively mild events like two flirty Sims who can’t get their hands off each other, or more serious situations like helping a panicked parent find a lost child. 
• With the popularity update, your Sim will now get a Burn Book in which they can add other Sims dirty secrets too and of course expose when the time comes. 

You can download Life’s Drama Mod on https://www.sacrificialmods.com/downloads.html

1. Slice of Life Mod by KawaiiStaci

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Slice of Life is one of the most comprehensive and must have mods in the Sims 4. 

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBma0ztL7zQ

This mod has been hailed as one of the best mods ever created and it appears on almost every “must download” list. It’s fittingly so as Slice of Life has so much to offer in terms of expanded gameplay. Your Sims can now have acne, more developed personalities, memories, and more. It's difficult to sum up this mod in a simple paragraph, as there is so much to it. All you need to know is that this mod is beautifully crafted, expansive, and a must-have for anyone looking to add more realism to their family play. 

• The different pack options mean you can pick and choose what you like for your gameplay and don’t have to necessarily download all of them. 
• Packs like The Social Life and My Personality add a new life to your Sims and NPCs, deepening their interactions and their autonomous actions.
• The Memories pack is a great throwback for those who loved The Sims 2 and when it came included with the game.

You can download Slice of Life on https://www.kawaiistaciemods.com/post/slice-of-life-base