Adoption

Adoption is a feature in that allows the Dragonborn to adopt certain children.

Prerequisites
In order to adopt a child, the Dragonborn must have built and furnished a child's bedroom in any purchased house or homestead.

Cities

 * Lucia - In Whiterun near the Gildergreen
 * Blaise - In Solitude at Katla's Farm
 * Sofie - In Windhelm's Grey Quarter
 * Alesan - In Dawnstar near the mines.

Honorhall Orphanage
The Dragonborn can also adopt the children in Honorhall Orphanage if Grelod the Kind is dead:


 * Runa Fair-Shield
 * Hroar
 * Samuel
 * Francois Beaufort

Constance Michel will ask a few questions when spoken to, one of which is what the Dragonborn's occupation is. The following answers are possible:


 * I'm the Dragonborn.
 * I'm Harbinger of the Companions.
 * I'm Arch-Mage of the College of Winterhold.
 * I'm a Thief.
 * I'm an Assassin.
 * I'm an Adventurer.
 * I'm a Mercenary.

Dragonborn, Harbinger and Arch-Mage will result in amazement and disbelief from Constance. Thief and Assassin results in her complaining about wasting her time and Adventurer and Mercenary are met with indifference.

Other
Other children from across Skyrim are sent to Honorhall Orphanage if their parents die. Once they are at Honorhall, they can be adopted. Alternatively, one may be able to adopt them on the spot before they're sent to the orphanage. These children include:

If the child's parents are killed by the Dragonborn and the crime has been noted, adoption may not be possible.

It seems there is limited space in the orphanage, it can hold eleven children altogether, (counting the four that have always lived there). If the child one wants doesn't show up at Honorhall within a few days, look for them in the place they originally lived.

Interactions
Once a child has been adopted, they will tell the Dragonborn that they will go to their new home. Once there, there are a few possible interactions that can be made with them. These include:


 * Giving them gifts such as a Wooden Sword, Child's Doll, an item of children's clothing, the Yellow Book of Riddles, a treat such as a Sweet Roll or a dagger. (Unlike an item of clothing, a dagger will be equipped.) This will get the Dragonborn "The Gift of Charity"
 * Playing a game with them, (tag, hide-and-seek)
 * Telling them to play outside or inside
 * Telling them to do their chores
 * Telling them to go to sleep
 * Telling them they may or may not keep a pet

An adopted child may ask for allowance, (gold). The options given are to give a varying amount, (five gold up to 1,000), or none.

Occasionally, an adopted child may talk to their new mother/father and give them a gift. These include:
 * Alchemy ingredients
 * Red Robes
 * Silver Ring
 * Steel Dagger

An adopted child may say that they are afraid to go down into the cellar as something is down there.

If a child has a chest near their bed, they will store multiple ingredients, food and other items that the Dragonborn can take. Sometimes, an adopted child may show up with a small animal such as a fox or a chicken, asking if they can keep it as a pet. If the Dragonborn's home has a practice dummy, an adopted child may use it if they are given a wooden sword or a dagger.

If the Dragonborn adopts two children, they will sometimes play with each other or argue, in which case they can be scolded.

Trivia

 * An armed child may follow the Dragonborn down to the cellar whenever the house has skeever infestations and help kill the creatures. If the child has a pet, such as a fox, the pet may also follow, but may be killed.
 * An adopted child with a dagger or wooden sword may practice on any practice dummies in the house.
 * If living in Breezehome, the adopted child may remark about how he or she feels about the Gildergreen. If the quest The Blessing of Nature is completed, they will not say anything.
 * If Lucia is not adopted, the child will say that he or she played with her in the park, and feels bad about her.

Bugs

 * When requesting permission to adopt children from Constance Michel at the orphanage, the player may be able to select an owned house without a children's bed and cupboard.
 * The player may not be able to move their children to an eligible house, or to the house they desire.
 * Sometimes when giving the child new clothes, it may end up un-equiping their existing clothes, with boys wearing only shorts and girls wearing their 2-piece under garment.

Appearances

 * The Elder Scrolls V: Hearthfire