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Teaching Idioms: It’s a Piece of Cake!

An illustrated piece of cake with pink frosting and cherries

The English language is full of unique colloquial sayings and expressions known as idioms. Exploring their definition and characteristics is essential to teach idioms. To effectively teach idioms, let’s first explore their definition and characteristics.

Idioms, which are fun and colorful expressions, have meanings that differ from their literal interpretations. Helping children understand and learn idioms improves reading comprehension and vocabulary.

If someone tells you not to bite off more than you can chew, they are not cautioning you about the size of the morsel of food on your fork. And if something costs you an arm and a leg, it doesn’t mean you have to pay with an actual arm and a leg … thank goodness!

These sayings are called idioms and teaching idioms is a piece of cake! (See what I did there? ?)

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a saying that has a meaning that is different from its literal meaning. Idioms are fun expressions that are commonly used to describe things in a colorful way.

Here are a few more common idioms. Do your kids know what they mean?

  • a penny for your thoughts
  • you’re driving me up the wall
  • go back to the drawing board
  • the best thing since sliced bread
  • a dime a dozen
  • barking up the wrong tree
  • when pigs fly

How Do We Teach Idioms?

Because idioms are common in English speech and literature, it’s important for children to become accustomed to hearing them. Learning and understanding idioms will help develop your child’s reading comprehension and build his vocabulary.

Now, let’s take a look at how we teach idioms in the All About Reading program.

See pigs fly with this idiom activity and story from All About Reading Level 3.

AAR Level 3 Story and Activity to help teach idioms

AAR Level 3 introduces twelve idioms in an activity called “When Pigs Fly.” Many of these idioms are encountered in “Chasing Henry” and subsequent stories.

Download Level 3 Activity: “When Pigs Fly”
Download Level 3 Story: “Chasing Henry”

Learn how the early bird catches the worm with this idiom activity and story from All About Reading Level 4.

AAR Level 4 Story and Activity to help teach idioms

Children are exposed to more idioms in a Level 4 activity called “The Early Bird Catches the Worm” and in a short story called “The Elephant in the Room.”

Download Level 4 Activity: “The Early Bird Catches the Worm”
Download Level 4 Story: “The Elephant in the Room”

60 Favorite Idioms

Many idioms have to do with animals (a little birdie told me), some have to do with color (tickled pink), and still others have to do with food (apple of my eye). Here’s a great collection of common idioms you can share with your children. Hang the list on the fridge or in your classroom, or discuss them over lunch–or even over a piece of cake!

60 Idioms and their meanings download graphic to help with teaching idioms

Now that we’ve learned all about idioms and how to teach them, please share your favorite in the comments below!

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Jacqueline Smith

says:

The way you explain idioms is the icing on the cake!

Thank you,
JS

Robin

says: Customer Service

Thank you, Jacqueline! You’re the bees knees!

Ritche Razel Celestial

says:

Thank you so much for the educative and colorful reading materials.

Robin

says: Customer Service

You are so welcome, Ritche!

Michai Freeman

says:

Thank you very much for this idiom resource. Really helpful for my son.

Robin

says: Customer Service

You are so welcome, Michai. I’m glad this resource is helpful for your son.

Carolina

says:

Thank you so much!

Robin

says: Customer Service

You’re welcome, Carolina!

Clover DeCordova

says:

Thank you. Awesome

Robin

says: Customer Service

You’re welcome, Clover! Thank you.

Grace

says:

Thanks for these wonderful and interesting collections.

Robin

says: Customer Service

You’re welcome, Grace!

Marsh Hayes

says:

This is a WONDERFUL resource! Thank you so much for sharing!

Robin

says: Customer Service

You’re welcome. I’m glad this will be helpful for you, Marsh!

Sapna jha jha

says:

Thank for sharing information. It’s very helpful for my kids.

Robin

says: Customer Service

You’re welcome, Sapna. I’m glad this will be helpful.

GranA

says:

Thank you for sharing this interesting material. I then made a search to define many terms of figurative language.

Robin

says: Customer Service

You’re welcome, GranA.

All About Reading does teach many figurative language terms, including (but not limited to) alliteration, similes, onomatopoeia, idioms, hyperbole, and personification. Learning to recognize such figurative language is very important for comprehension.

Steph Theis

says:

I’m so thankful for your emails and blogs and the abundance of resources. All About Learning Press really is the BEST!

Robin

says: Customer Service

Thank you, Steph! We know that email inboxes get inundated nowadays, so hearing that our emails are appreciated is so great!

Therese

says:

All of your material is really great. Thanks very much!

Robin

says: Customer Service

Aww, you are so welcome, Therese! Thank you.

Amal

says:

Thanks dears.
The materials are really helpful, and I liked how you have leveled them.
I appreciate your effort,

Robin

says: Customer Service

Amal,
Thank you! It’s wonderful to know that this resource is helpful.

Lucy

says:

thank you this is very helpful

Sarah

says:

Love the idioms, Will definitely be useful for childrenand adults too. Thanks a bunch!

Mahrukh

says:

Thanks a million. It sure does make my task easier

alice

says:

thanks a million!!!! you saved my life! lol

Robin

says: Customer Service

Oh, glad this will be helpful, Alice!

Geetha

says:

Thank you for awesome idioms which can be easily taught to kids.

Jessica

says:

Very helpful – thank you! The “Chasing Henry” story/PDF has a gray box over each page when printed so is challenging to see/read. I adjusted printer settings but cannot remove the gray boxes covering each page – any troubleshooting ideas for this download? The others printed clean/with white backgrounds, etc.

Robin

says: Customer Service

Wow, I’m unsure what is happening, Jessica!

What browser are you using? Maybe you could try opening the file in a different PDF reader. For example, if it is opening in your browser window, you could download it and try opening it in the free Adobe Reader software.

Maybe trying a different link will help. Try this: Chasing Henry.

If nothing works, please email us at support@allaboutlearningpress.com and we’ll see if attaching the PDF to the email will help you.

Narmin

says:

Thank you very much for the amazing materials and structures. All of them are useful.

Robin

says: Customer Service

You’re welcome, Narmin! Thank you.

Debbie Wee

says:

Good tips

Erica

says:

When I was a student, I didn’t understand the purpose of English idioms as this was not my native language. I personally don’t use a lot of idioms. Thank you for this post and resource.

Robin

says: Customer Service

Erica,
I hope you find this resource helpful! I know that English idioms can be difficult for non-native speakers.

Elizabeth

says:

Awesome 👍

Robin

says: Customer Service

Thanks, Elizabeth!

Erin Johnson

says:

I love this collection of idioms! It’s so funny to hear a child use an idiom even when they don’t fully grasp the meaning yet!

Robin

says: Customer Service

Oh, I know what you mean, Erin! It’s so cute!

Jess

says:

Love that download! So useful

Robin

says: Customer Service

Glad it’s useful, Jess! Thanks you.

Joanna

says:

This is honestly helpful to have. English is a second language for me- even though I was born and raised in California, “American idioms” were something I did not grow up with. I’d be learning right along side my kiddos!

Robin

says: Customer Service

I’m glad this will be helpful for you and your children, Joanna!

Pamela

says:

Thanks for the list of idioms and the definition of what an idiom is. I will enjoy working on this with my great-grandson.

Robin

says: Customer Service

You’re welcome, Pamela. I hope you have lots of fun together with this!

Stephanie

says:

This makes idioms so much easier to teach!

Robin

says: Customer Service

Thank you, Stephanie!

Christi Brown

says:

We love All About Spelling. It really helped my daughter who has dyslexia.

Robin

says: Customer Service

Great to hear that All About Spelling is helping your daughter, Christi! Thank you.

KARA MCGEE

says:

Fun post!

Robin

says: Customer Service

Thanks, Kara!

Taelor Anderson

says:

Love all the extra ideas and free downloads!

Robin

says: Customer Service

Thank you, Taelor!