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? ?)
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?
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 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.
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”
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!
Now that we’ve learned all about idioms and how to teach them, please share your favorite in the comments below!
Maribeth
says:Always have such fun with teaching idioms! Thanks for this article
Robin
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Maribeth!
Megan
says:My daughter will love the activities, thank you!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Megan. I hope your daughter gets a kick out of learning idioms! (See what I did there?)
Dagmar Moretti
says:Very cool!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Dagmar!
Dawn M.
says:We are going to talk about this today. Another great resource from All About Learning
Robin
says: Customer ServiceGlad this will be helpful for your talk, Dawn! Thank you.
Katie D
says:What a useful list! This has already sparked a few conversations with my kids.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceKatie,
I love that this has sparked conversations with your children! Great learning!
Jacqueline Smith
says:I love all the free downloads. I use this material to tutoring after school for grade 3 and 4. It helps to guide what to teach and what I could use next. This website is a Godsend!
Thank you!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceYou’re so welcome, Jacqueline! It’s great to hear the resources here are so helpful for you!
Amelia Pledger
says:Great article!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Amelia!
Mary
says:This looks so fun! I look forward to playing this with my kids in the near future!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceEnjoy!
Becky
says:Looking at this to use in a classroom
Robin
says: Customer ServiceGreat, Becky! I hope your students have a lot of fun learning about idioms.
Andrea
says:I’m excited for the next levels of AAR to teach idioms to my daughter!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceWonderful, Andrea! Thank you.
Dawn
says:We are in AAR 4 now and have loved all the activities. Thank-You for the download. I plan to hang it on the fridge for reference.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Dawn! Great to hear you have enjoyed the All About Reading activities!
Michelle
says:So cute! My daughter already enjoys AAR, but she also loves all things pink and baking. This is lesson is sure to engage her! Thankful for the creativity that goes into all the lessons.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Michelle! I hope your daughter has a lot of fun with this!
Pam
says:I LOVED teaching idioms to my literal-minded students when I was an SLP! These resources are great in my (retirement) role as a literacy coach.
Robin
says: Customer ServicePam,
I enjoyed teaching idioms too! I’m glad these resources will be helpful for you in your literacy coach position!
Deb Cox
says:I looking forward to using these materials. I’ve been using AAR and AAS for almost 2 years.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Deb!
Dana
says:Super cute! I think my kiddos would love this!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Dana!
Sarah
says:Some of these stories and activities would be great for those learning English as a second language. I lived in Armenia for two years and we had a weekly English club dedicated to idioms in the English language.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceSuch a great point, Sarah! Idioms are one of the hardest things to learn when learning a new language!
Spanish has one that literally translates to, “there is no bald donkey nor any pumpkin with hair.” It makes no sense at all until you learn it means you should only talk about things you know about. I can only imagine what “it’s a piece of cake” sounds like to someone learning English!
Morgan Ehman
says:we are only in level 1 right now but my kids use idioms just because they hear it from us.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceMorgan,
Oh, yes! Idioms are so integral to a language that they are picked up from early childhood! However, it is good to at least review idioms the years, as they are likely to run into some that will be new to them. My children were teens when they first came across “the tail wagging the dog,” and they had no idea what it meant.
Kimberly Snyder
says:I tutor students in both reading and spelling (in-person and online) using All About Learning. I love these downloads that are free. I use them to supplement lessons for my kindergarten through 7th grade students. This one “60 Idioms and Their Meanings” was a ‘hit’ with my older students who love to ask questions about the English language.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceThank you for letting us know that this activity was enjoyable for your students, Kimberly! Great to hear!
Jordan Lynch
says:I can’t wait to do this lesson with my boys soon! It looks so fun!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Jordan! I hope your boys find it very fun!
Whitney
says:Love this lesson on idioms!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Whitney!
Brittney Huff
says:Oh! Idioms are one of our favorite parts to learn! This goes for all of our kids!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceBrittney,
I agree! Idioms are a lot of fun!
Sarah
says:My 3rd grader will be very into using idioms with this method! Can’t wait to introduce these!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceSarah,
You will have a lot of fun! Those mid-elementary years are a great to time dive into idioms!
Candice Bedingfield
says:Easily used by new homeschool family! Thanks
Robin
says: Customer ServiceGreat to hear this is a useful resource for new homeschool family! Thank you, Candice.
Denise Love
says:Loved the lessons- thank you for the download so we can continue learning them.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceWonderful, Denise! Enjoy learning about idioms!
McKayla
says:Idioms can be hard for my kid to understand, but I already know he will be using idioms every chance he gets after this!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceMcKayla,
Idioms can be confusing! I hope this helps your kids have fun and learn to understand a bunch of them.
Kaleena Marshall
says:I grew up hearing “keep your eyes peeled”, now I use it and think of my Grandma.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceKaleena,
Don’t you love those grandma phrases that get passed down? My grandmother always used the word “irked” instead of annoyed (“That cat irked me with meowing all night!”), and now I love using the word too.
Angela Miner
says:I’m tickled pink that the apple of my eye won’t be forced to bite off more than she can chew when it comes to idioms. With the help of AAR, learning will be a piece of cake!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceThank you for the laugh, Angela!
Sue Scott
says:AAS is such a great program!
Kate
says:How fun!
Susie
says:My Mom’s favorite when I was growing up was “hold your horses.”
Love this download! I want to print it and display it in my space I work with students.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceI love the idea of hanging this up for display, Susie! Thank youi!