Let’s be honest – our poor Sims don’t have much going on outside of work, relationships, and the occasional existential crisis. Enter The Sims 4 Hobby Mod by MissyHissy, a game-changing addition that finally gives Sims actual hobbies beyond binge-watching TV and awkwardly standing around at social events.
This mod introduces 14 unique hobbies, a hidden hobby need system, and a slew of new wants and interactions that make Sims feel more like, well… actual people. If you miss The Sims 2 Free Time Era where hobbies mattered, buckle up, because we’re about to dive into the details!
The Sims 4 Hobby Mod is fully compatible with the latest version of The Sims 4, including new features with the Businesses & Hobbies Expansion.
The Sims 4 Hobby Mod Walkthrough
What is The Hobby Mod?
Think of The Sims 4 Hobby Mod as the personality boost The Sims 4 desperately needed. It takes the random activities Sims do for fun and turns them into real, trackable hobbies with rewards, penalties, and even custom wants.
Instead of your Sims just vaguely enjoying painting, they can now be die-hard arts and crafts enthusiasts who get cranky if they don’t pick up a paintbrush every few days. The best part? It integrates seamlessly into gameplay, so you’re not just clicking through menus – your Sims actually develop hobbies on their own.
Key Features
Here’s why this mod is a total game-changer:
- 14 Hobby Traits inspired by The Sims 2 Free Time
- Hidden Hobby Enthusiasm – Keep up with hobbies, or suffer the boredom blues.
- Custom Whims – Your Sims will actually want to do their hobbies!
- New Computer Category: The Hobby Hub – A one-stop-shop for all hobby-related activities.
- Natural Hobby Growth – Sims can randomly develop a hobby just by doing related activities.
Hobbies & Activities – Because Not Every Sim Wants to Be an Influencer
The Sims 4 Hobby Mod carefully gives a gameplay boost to a variety of hobbies and activities already available in The Sims 4. From the first Pack releases to the latest Sims 4 Businesses & Hobbies Expansion, which adds Pottery and Tattooing to the Hobby List.
See the full breakdown of activities affected by this mod down below:
Arts & Crafts:
- Painting
- Woodworking
- Photography
- Flower Arranging (Seasons)
- Candle making (Eco Lifestyle)
- Cross Stitching (Cottage Living)
- Knitting (Nifty Knitting)
- Pottery (Business & Hobbies)
- Tattooing (Business & Hobbies)
- Integrates with other mods such as: The Pottery Wheel, Perfumery Mod and The Functional Loom
Cuisine – The Gordon Ramsays and Julia Childs of SimNation:
- Making drinks
- Cooking meals
- Grilling
- Baking
- Juice fizzing
- Canning
- Nectar making
- Mead brewing
- And even integrates with other mods such as: Mead Brewing, Nectar Making and Cooking Play Food
Fashion & Beauty – Because looking good is a full-time job.
- Trying on outfits
- Making beauty videos (Get Famous)
- Giving makeovers (Get Famous)
- Receiving makeovers (Get Famous)
- Receiving manicures & pedicures (Spa Day)
- Applying makeup (Vintage Glamour)
Film & Literature – Bookworms and movie buffs, rejoice!
- Writing books
- Reading
- Photography
- Watching movies (Movie Hangout)
- Telling group stories (Outdoor Retreat)
- Recording videos (Get Famous)
- Acting (Get Famous)
- Puppet shows (Kids Room Stuff)
Fitness – Gym rats and yoga lovers welcome.
- Jogging
- Working out at the gym
- Swimming
- Boxing
- Diving (Get Together)
- Ice skating (Seasons)
- Roller skating (Seasons)
- Scuba Diving (Island Living)
- Snorkeling (Island Living)
- TV workouts (Fitness Stuff)
- Rocking Climbing (Fitness Stuff, Snowy Escape)
- Hiking (Snowy Escape, Outdoor Retreat)
- Yoga (Spa Day)
- Martial Arts (Strangerville)
- Riding bikes (Discover University, Eco Lifestyle)
Games – Video games, board games, any game with rules and bragging rights.
- Playing cards
- Computer games
- Console games
- Chess
- Foosball (Get Together)
- Darts (Get Together)
- Don’t wake the llama (Get Together)
- Arcade games (Get Together)
- Snowball fights (Seasons)
- Water balloon fights (Seasons)
- Ping pong (Discover University)
- Esports teams (Discover University)
- Horseshoe (Outdoor Retreat)
- Sabacc (Journey To Batuu)
- Bowling (Bowling Night Stuff)
- Dominoes (Growing Together)
Learning & Discovery – Nerdy, but in a cool way.
- Browsing simpedia
- Watching news
- Homework
- Researching skills on the archive machine (Discover University)
- Contributing knowledge (Discover University)
- Debating (Discover University)
- Studying (Discover University)
- Researching Vampires (Vampires)
- School projects (Parenthood)
- Archaeology (Jungle Adventure)
- Selvadoradian culture (Jungle Adventure)
- Researching Strangerville (Strangerville)
- Researching spells/potions (Realm Of Magic)
Music & Dance – Sims who think life should be a musical.
- Guitar
- Dancing
- Violin
- Piano
- Listening to music
- DJing (Get Together)
- Singing (City Living)
- Karaoke (City Living)
- Mixing music (Get Famous)
- Pipe Organ (Vampires)
- And integrates another mod: Play drums
Nature – Show off your prize vegetables!
- Gardening
- Fishing
- Camping (Outdoor Retreat)
- Herbalism (Outdoor Retreat)
- Playing in snow (Seasons)
- Raking leaves (Seasons)
- Bees (Seasons)
- Denizen pond (Get Famous)
- Dolphins (Island Living)
- Beachcombing (Island Living)
- Cleaning up Sulani (Island Living)
- Insect farms (Eco Lifestyle)
- Hiking (Outdoor Retreat, Snowy Escape)
- Farm Animals (Cottage Living)
- Wild Animals (Cottage Living)
- Feeding Birds (Backyard Stuff)
- Small Pets (My First Pet Stuff)
Paranormal – Ghost whisperers and conspiracy theorists unite!
- Voodoo dolls
- Book of life
- Ghosts
- Abduction (Get To Work)
- Contact aliens (Get To Work)
- Mermaids (Island Living)
- Researching vampires (Vampires)
- Spells & potions (Realm Of Magic)
- Werewolves (Werewolves)
- Werewolf lore (Werewolves)
- Seances (Paranormal)
- Specters (Paranormal)
Science – From microscopes to telescope-staring at 3 AM.
- Chemistry table
- Telescope
- Observatory
- Microscope
- Rocketship
- Chemistry lab (Get To Work)
- Playing doctor (Parenthood)
- School projects (Parenthood)
Sports – For Sims who actually use the basketball hoop in the backyard.
- Boxing
- Watching sports TV
- Basketball (City Living)
- Soccer/Football (Discover University)
- Ping pong (Discover University)
- Skiing (Snowy Escape)
- Sledding (Snowy Escape)
- Snowboarding (Snowy Escape)
Tinkering – Fixing, inventing, and probably blowing things up.
- Upgrading
- Repairing
- Programming
- Robotics (Discover University)
- School projects (Parenthood)
Travel & Culture – Sims with wanderlust who dream of Sulani sunsets.
- Forgotten Grotto
- Sylvan Glade
- Island spirits (Island Living)
- Hiking (Snowy Escape)
- Exploring the jungle (Jungle Adventure)
- Learning local culture (Jungle Adventure)
Each hobby affects gameplay, adds new wants, and gives Sims more personality.
How to Give Your Sim a Hobby (Because They Need One)
There are three ways to bless your Sims with an actual pastime:
- Buy It in the Reward Store – Instant gratification for just 5 Satisfaction Points.
- Use the Interaction Menu – Shift+Click your Sim (with cheats on) and assign them a hobby.
- Let It Happen Naturally – Every time your Sim does a hobby-related activity, there’s a 5% chance they’ll suddenly realize their true passion (as long as they don’t already have a hobby).
And don’t worry – Sims can have more than one hobby if you use the menu or Reward Store. The more, the merrier!
Hobby Enthusiasm – Keep Your Sims Inspired or Watch Them Sulk
Hobbies aren’t just about fun – they come with responsibilities too!
Each Sim has a hidden hobby need meter, and if they neglect their hobby for too long, they’ll get:
- A moodlet warning them they’re losing their passion.
- An overall drop in enthusiasm that makes them grumpy.
- The existential dread of not doing what they love (okay, maybe not that dramatic, but still).
It takes 3 days of ignoring a hobby before a Sim starts feeling the effects, so don’t worry – it’s not as needy as a toddler.
The Hobby Hub – A New Way to Play
This Sims 4 Hobby mod introduces a Hobby Hub on all in-game computers, where Sims can:
- Research their hobby (because nerding out is fun).
- Find new hobby-related interactions
- Only see interactions relevant to their specific hobbies, so the menu isn’t cluttered with options they don’t care about.
It’s the perfect way to immerse your Sims in their passions without having to click through a million menus.
Wants & Whims – Because Sims Should Have Preferences
Sims with hobbies will actually start wanting to do related activities.
For example:
- A Nature Sim might develop a want to go hiking or garden.
- A Music Sim might want to play an instrument or hit a nightclub.
- A Science Sim might want to use a telescope and feel superior.
If you install the Custom Wants Mod, (also by Missyhissy) you’ll get even more unique hobby-related whims!
How to Install The Hobby Mod
- Delete any previous versions (don’t let outdated files ruin your fun).
- Download the latest version of The Sims 4 Hobby Mod from MissyHissy’s official page.
- Extract it into your Mods folder.
- DO NOT touch the CORE folder (it’s what makes everything work).
- Optional extras (like Club Requirements or Custom Preferences) are in the OPTIONAL folder.
Additional Required Mods
- Lot51’s Core Library (Essential)
- Custom Wants Mod (Optional)
Final Thoughts – Is This Mod Worth It? (Yes, 1000%)
If you’re tired of Sims having no real interests beyond work and socializing, The Sims 4 Hobby Mod is a must-have. It adds depth, realism, and variety to gameplay, making Sims more interesting and more fun to play.
And on a personal note – this mod ‘made’ my gen 2 Joy Of Life save file, I really couldn’t play without it! (She’s a recipe blogger!)
Download it now and let your Sims discover their true passions!
