Unlock the Path to Parenthood in Skyrim: Your Complete Guide to Adoptable Children

Quick Links

How To Adopt A Child In Skyrim

All Adoptable Children In Honorhall Orphanage

All Adoptable Children Skyrim's Cities

Other Adoptable Children in Skyrim

Despite being available for over a decade, many devoted fans of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim may be unaware of the surprisingly immersive adoption system. Before the Dragonborn can adopt a child, there are numerous variables and prerequisites to fulfill. Initially, the game only allowed players to marry an NPC to build a family, but the introduction of the second Hearthfire DLC made adoption possible.

Throughout Skyrim, players can find various children to adopt, ensuring they can find the perfect match. These children are obtainable for adoption through different means. Some can be encountered as homeless individuals in major cities, while others reside in the Honorhall Orphanage located in Riften. However, even adopting from the orphanage requires fulfilling specific prerequisites. Additionally, there are over a dozen children who only become eligible for adoption after certain events occur to their in-game parents or guardians.

How To Adopt A Child In Skyrim

Updated on August 13, 2023, by Justin Flynn: The Hearthfire DLC introduced an exciting feature where players can construct and customize their own personal homestead. Furthermore, this DLC also enables players to adopt children and fill their virtual homes with youthful energy. Adoption not only adds a sense of liveliness to the house, but it also grants players several additional advantages that would otherwise be unattainable. Adopted children often bestow heartwarming gifts upon the Dragonborn upon their return home, and in some cases, they may even surprise them with an unconventional pet. There are numerous reasons why choosing to adopt a child in Skyrim is a commendable decision, but due to the lack of clarity surrounding the adoption process, some players may encounter difficulties in comprehending its mechanics.

To enable adoption in Skyrim, the Dragonborn must first obtain their own dwelling. The choice of property is entirely in the hands of the player, as any house will suffice. After securing a place to call home, players can either buy a Child's Room for their purchased house or construct a Child's Bed and Dresser for their self-built homestead.

Players can construct the Child's Bed and Dresser in their homestead by interacting with the Carpenter's Workbench located in the specific room designated for their adopted child's slumber. However, should players desire their child to reside in a house they have purchased, they must initiate a conversation with the Steward from whom they acquired the house and proceed to directly purchase a Child's Room.

Furthermore, players must also complete the "Innocence Lost" quest as part of the Dark Brotherhood questline. This task requires the Dragonborn to meet Aventus Aretino in Windhelm and agree to eliminate Grelod The Kind, the owner of Riften's Honorhall Orphanage. After completing the quest, the Courier will eventually approach the Dragonborn with a letter titled "Consider Adoption." The new owner of Honorhall Orphanage, Constance Michel, invites the Dragonborn to adopt a child.

Once the Dragonborn has received the Consider Adoption letter, they can travel to Honorhall Orphanage in Riften and speak to Constance Michel to initiate the adoption process. After the conversation, the Dragonborn can approach any of the children in Honorhall Orphanage and engage in dialogue that includes the option to say, "I could adopt you, if you want." The chosen child can then be found at the home selected by the Dragonborn.

All Adoptable Children In Honorhall Orphanage

Players will be presented with four children to choose from when they first visit Honorhall Orphanage. Each child possesses a distinct personality, and players are encouraged to engage in conversations with each of them before making a decision on whom to adopt.

Samuel, an Imperial, takes on the role of the group's leader, having inherited this responsibility after his mother, who worked at the orphanage, passed away during childbirth. He exemplifies the true characteristics of an Imperial.

Content

Francois Beaufort, with his Breton-sounding name, is similar to Samuel in his Imperial heritage. Abandoned by his parents a year ago, Francois has been yearning for their return while residing at the orphanage.

On the other hand, Hroar, a Nord boy, remains secretive about the circumstances that brought him to Honorhall Orphanage. However, he does share that his mother named him after the magnificent roar of a lion, which serves as inspiration for him to strive for strength and greatness.

Runa Fair-Shield is a Nord girl who claims the other boys pick on her and force her to do all the chores.

All Adoptable Children Skyrim's Cities

Should the player wish to avoid involvement in the Dark Brotherhood storyline, alternative adoption choices are certainly available. However, similar to the prerequisites for adopting from an orphanage, the player must possess a home equipped with a Child's Bed and Dresser or a designated Child's Room. Initially, four children can be found in the major cities of Skyrim: Dawnstar, Solitude, Whiterun, and Windhelm. To instigate the adoption process, the player simply needs to inquire about their circumstances and how they came to reside in their current location.

In Dawnstar, a Redguard boy named Alesan can be found. He used to work on his father's ship, but unfortunately, his father fell ill and they were left stranded at Dawnstar's port. Sadly, his father passed away soon after. Now, in order to survive, Alesan delivers food to local miners and sleeps on the floor of the nearby inn.

Similarly, in Windhelm, there is a Nord child named Sofie. She can often be seen wandering around the city, selling flowers in order to provide for herself. Tragically, her mother passed away when she was young, and her father, who served in the Stormcloak army, died in battle.

Blaise, a Breton, tragically lost his parents in an ambush by the Imperial Legion. In the aftermath, he found refuge under Katla's care on her farm outside Solitude, where he is assigned to assist with the stables. Sadly, Katla holds indifference towards him, leaving Blaise with no choice but to sleep among the horses he tends to.

In the city of Whiterun, players will come across Lucia, an Imperial, near the towering Gildergreen tree. Similarly to Blaise, she has struck a comparable agreement with Hulda at The Bannered Mare. Both can be observed diligently working at their respective places, yet their efforts go largely unnoticed and unappreciated. Lucia, who once had a farm of her own, was reluctantly cast out by her aunt and uncle following her mother's passing, leading her to seek shelter in Whiterun.

Other Adoptable Children in Skyrim

If the eight options available do not seem suitable for a specific playthrough, there are an additional fifteen children that can be adopted in the game. These children will be sent to Honorhall Orphanage if their parents pass away, whether due to the Dragonborn's actions or through Dragon and Vampire attacks in the cities of Skyrim. It is important to note that if the Dragonborn is witnessed by either guards or the child themselves killing their parents, adoption will not be possible.

The other children that can be adopted include Braith in Whiterun, Aeta in Skall Village, Britte and Sissel in Rorikstead, Clinton Lylvieve at Dragon Bridge, Dorthe in Riverwood, Eirid at The Frozen Hearth, Erith at Left Hand Mine, Frodnar in Riverwood, Gralnach at Heartwood Mill, Hrefna at Darkwater Crossing, Knud at Katla's Farm, Minette Vinius at The Winking Skeever, Skuli at Old Hroldan Inn, and Svari in Solitude. After the passing of their parent or parents, these children will soon be brought to Honorhall Orphanage, along with the original four.

Skyrim has consistently prioritized player choice and agency, as evidenced by the extensive selection of adoptable children in the game. The forthcoming installment, The Elder Scrolls VI, has the potential to elevate and broaden this system beyond imagination, along with enhancing other gameplay systems.

The highly acclaimed The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is accessible on PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.