Do children grow up?

Is there any way to make them grow?

No. There is no timer, no item and no hidden requirement.

The wiki is direct about it: as of update 1.0 the child has no other growth stages and indefinitely stays a baby that can be carried around. Nothing you do speeds this up.

Whether the developers add later stages is unknown. They have not said either way.

So what can you actually do with the baby?

Carry it, or put it down. That is the full set of options, but neither costs you anything.

By default your spouse holds the baby and brings it along as they follow their daily schedule. You can take the baby from them and carry it yourself instead.

Carrying the baby does not alter or hinder your abilities in any way. You can still farm, fish, mine, fight and take part in every activity with the child in your arms.

Where do you leave the baby if you would rather not carry it?

In the crib. Landen mails you one when the child is delivered.

Place it in your house and you can leave the baby there whenever you like, then pick it back up later.

Does this make having a child pointless?

That depends on what you wanted from it.

If you were expecting a child who eventually helps on the farm or develops their own schedule, 1.0 does not do that. If you wanted the family scene in your farmhouse and a child who follows you around, it delivers exactly that.

It is also entirely optional. Your spouse never brings up the subject, and the official FAQ confirms you can choose never to have a child at all.

What is worth knowing before you commit?

Each marriage candidate has one specific child with a fixed gender and appearance, so you cannot roll for a different one.

You can only have one child per save, and with no divorce in 1.0 there is no way to remarry and see another. Whatever you choose is what that file keeps.