50 Idioms for Kids That Turn Words Into Games

Do children struggle with abstract language, or do you find it hard to explain complex phrases to young minds?

This article dives into idioms for kids, bridging that gap with clear, engaging explanations. Common expressions, second nature to adults, can hinder a child’s comprehension. By demystifying these linguistic quirks, we empower children to expand their vocabulary and navigate communication with confidence and understanding.

Best Idioms for Kids

1. Piece of cake

Meaning: Something that is very easy to do.

In a Sentence: Don’t worry about the exam; it’s a piece of cake if you’ve studied. Building that furniture was a piece of cake with the right instructions.

Other Ways to Say: Easy, Simple, Effortless, A cinch

2. Cool as a cucumber

Meaning: Very calm and composed, especially in a stressful situation.

In a Sentence: Despite the chaos, the pilot remained cool as a cucumber. She walked into the interview, cool as a cucumber, and answered every question perfectly.

Other Ways to Say: Calm, Composed, Unflustered, Serene

3. Cost an arm and a leg

Meaning: To be very expensive.

In a Sentence: That designer dress must have cost an arm and a leg. Buying a house in this city costs an arm and a leg.

Other Ways to Say: Very expensive, Pricey, Costly, Exorbitant

4. Raining cats and dogs

Meaning: Raining very heavily.

In a Sentence: We had to cancel the picnic because it’s raining cats and dogs outside. Don’t forget your umbrella; it’s raining cats and dogs.

Other Ways to Say: Pouring rain, Heavy rain, Downpour, Deluge

5. Break a leg

Meaning: (Informal) Good luck! (Used especially to performers before a show).

In a Sentence: “Break a leg!” the director shouted before the play began. You have an important presentation today, break a leg!

Other Ways to Say: Good luck, Best wishes, Do well

6. Hit on

Meaning: To flirt with someone; to discover or think of something (an idea, a solution) by chance.

In a Sentence: He tried to hit on her at the bar, but she wasn’t interested. I think I just hit on a brilliant idea for the project!

Other Ways to Say: Flirt, Make advances; Discover, Realize, Conceive (an idea)

7. Hold your horses

Meaning: Wait a moment; slow down.

In a Sentence: Hold your horses, we need to think this through before acting. “Hold your horses,” she said, “I’m not finished talking yet.”

Other Ways to Say: Wait, Slow down, Be patient, Don’t rush

8. A fish out of water

Meaning: A person who feels uncomfortable or out of place in their surroundings.

In a Sentence: At the formal dinner party, he felt like a fish out of water. She was a musician at a tech conference, feeling like a fish out of water.

Other Ways to Say: Uncomfortable, Out of place, Awkward, Alienated

9. Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning: To be pursuing a mistaken or incorrect course of action; to have a wrong idea about something or someone.

In a Sentence: If you think I took your keys, you’re barking up the wrong tree. He’s barking up the wrong tree if he expects me to help him cheat.

Other Ways to Say: Mistaken, Wrong, Misguided, On the wrong track

10. Bite the bullet

Meaning: To endure a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage and fortitude.

In a Sentence: I had to bite the bullet and work extra hours to finish the project. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and accept the consequences.

Other Ways to Say: Face difficulty, Endure hardship, Grin and bear it, Tough it out

11. Call it a day

Meaning: To decide to stop working on something for the day.

In a Sentence: It’s getting late; let’s call it a day and finish tomorrow. After reviewing all the applications, they decided to call it a day.

Other Ways to Say: Stop working, Finish for the day, Quit, Conclude for now

12. Cold feet

Meaning: A sudden loss of courage or confidence about doing something, usually just before one is about to do it.

In a Sentence: He got cold feet just before the wedding and almost ran away. She had cold feet about skydiving at the last minute.

Other Ways to Say: Lose courage, Hesitate, Get nervous, Back out

13. Out of the blue

Meaning: Completely unexpectedly; without any warning.

In a Sentence: Her resignation came completely out of the blue. He called me out of the blue after years of no contact.

Other Ways to Say: Unexpectedly, Suddenly, Without warning, Abruptly

14. When pigs fly

Meaning: Something that will never happen; an impossible event.

In a Sentence: He’ll apologize to her when pigs fly. She said she’d lend him money when pigs fly.

Other Ways to Say: Never, Impossible, Highly unlikely, No chance

15. All ears

Meaning: Fully listening and eager to hear.

In a Sentence: Tell me what happened; I’m all ears. When the teacher started talking about the field trip, the students were all ears.

Other Ways to Say: Attentive, Listening intently, Eager to hear, Paying attention

Related Post: 50 Idioms about Moms Celebrating Maternal Love

16. Busy as a bee

Meaning: Very busy and active.

In a Sentence: The kids were as busy as bees preparing for the school play. She’s always busy as a bee, juggling work, family, and hobbies.

Other Ways to Say: Very busy, Active, Industrious, Hard-working

17. Cry over spilled milk

Meaning: To regret something that has already happened and cannot be changed.

In a Sentence: There’s no use crying over spilled milk; we just need to find a solution. He lost the game, but he didn’t cry over spilled milk; he focused on the next match.

Other Ways to Say: Regret pointlessly, Dwell on past mistakes, Lament in vain

18. In the same boat

Meaning: In the same difficult situation as others.

In a Sentence: We’re all in the same boat, trying to meet this deadline. When it comes to studying for finals, all students are in the same boat.

Other Ways to Say: In the same situation, Facing similar difficulties, Share a common problem

19. Ants in your pants

Meaning: Restless, fidgety, or unable to sit still.

In a Sentence: The kids had ants in their pants waiting for the ice cream truck. He gets ants in his pants if he has to sit still for too long.

Other Ways to Say: Restless, Fidgety, Impatient, Hyperactive

20. Apple of my eye

Meaning: A person or thing that is greatly cherished, loved, or favored.

In a Sentence: His youngest daughter is the apple of his eye. That classic car is the apple of his eye; he spends hours polishing it.

Other Ways to Say: Cherished, Favorite, Beloved, Adored

21. Beat around the bush

Meaning: To avoid coming to the point; to speak indirectly or evasively.

In a Sentence: Stop beating around the bush and just tell me what you want. He kept beating around the bush instead of answering my question directly.

Other Ways to Say: Be indirect, Evade the topic, Prevaricate, Avoid the point

22. Break the ice

Meaning: To do or say something to relieve tension or start a conversation in a new social situation.

In a Sentence: To break the ice at the meeting, we played a quick game. A good joke can often break the ice with new acquaintances.

Other Ways to Say: Start a conversation, Relieve tension, Initiate interaction, Make comfortable

23. Cut corners

Meaning: To do something in the easiest, quickest, or cheapest way, often by sacrificing quality.

In a Sentence: They cut corners on safety, which led to the accident. You can’t cut corners when it comes to preparing for a major exam.

Other Ways to Say: Do carelessly, Take shortcuts, Skimp, Economize (negatively)

24. Head in the clouds

Meaning: Dreaming or fantasizing; having impractical or unrealistic ideas.

In a Sentence: He always has his head in the clouds, thinking about his next big invention. Stop having your head in the clouds and focus on your homework!

Other Ways to Say: Daydreaming, Unrealistic, Idealistic, Distracted

25. Like a kid in a candy store

Meaning: Extremely excited and enthusiastic, especially when presented with many desirable options.

In a Sentence: When he saw all the new gadgets, he was like a kid in a candy store. She was like a kid in a candy store at the book fair.

Other Ways to Say: Enthusiastic, Excited, Delighted, Overjoyed

26. The cat’s pajamas

Meaning: An excellent or highly admirable person or thing. (An older, informal expression).

In a Sentence: Her new dress is absolutely the cat’s pajamas! He thinks his band is the cat’s pajamas.

Other Ways to Say: Excellent, Superb, Fantastic, The best

27. A piece of the pie

Meaning: A share of something (e.g., profits, benefits, resources).

In a Sentence: Everyone wants a piece of the pie from the successful startup. He demanded his fair piece of the pie from the inheritance.

Other Ways to Say: A share, A portion, A cut, A part

28. Spill the beans

Meaning: To reveal a secret or tell something that was supposed to be kept private.

In a Sentence: Come on, spill the beans! What’s the surprise? She accidentally spilled the beans about their engagement.

Other Ways to Say: Reveal a secret, Divulge information, Disclose, Tell all

29. Let the cat out of the bag

Meaning: To reveal a secret, usually by accident.

In a Sentence: I accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party. Who let the cat out of the bag about the new product launch?

Other Ways to Say: Reveal a secret (accidentally), Disclose inadvertently, Blurt out

30. Easy as pie

Meaning: Very easy to do. (Same as ‘piece of cake’).

In a Sentence: Learning to use this software is as easy as pie. The recipe was easy as pie, even for a beginner cook.

Other Ways to Say: Very easy, Simple, Effortless, A cinch

31. Happy as a clam

Meaning: Very happy and content.

In a Sentence: She was happy as a clam on her vacation by the beach. The baby was happy as a clam playing with his new toys.

Other Ways to Say: Very happy, Content, Joyful, Delighted

32. Monkey see, monkey do

Meaning: To imitate or copy what one sees others doing, often without understanding why.

In a Sentence: The younger kids just follow the older ones; it’s monkey see, monkey do. He doesn’t think for himself, it’s always monkey see, monkey do.

Other Ways to Say: Imitate, Copy, Mimic, Follow blindly

33. A wild goose chase

Meaning: A foolish or fruitless pursuit of something unattainable or pointless.

In a Sentence: Trying to find that obscure book turned into a wild goose chase. The investigation was a wild goose chase; they found nothing.

Other Ways to Say: Pointless search, Futile pursuit, Vain effort, Hopeless quest

34. The bee’s knees

Meaning: An excellent or highly admirable person or thing. (Similar to ‘the cat’s pajamas’).

In a Sentence: His new invention is absolutely the bee’s knees! She thinks her new car is the bee’s knees.

Other Ways to Say: Excellent, Superb, Fantastic, The best

35. Like two peas in a pod

Meaning: Very similar in appearance, character, or interests.

In a Sentence: My sister and I are like two peas in a pod; we love all the same things. The twins are like two peas in a pod.

Other Ways to Say: Very similar, Identical, Alike, Resembling closely

Related Post: 50 Idioms for Sweet That Brighten Conversations

36. As quiet as a mouse

Meaning: Extremely quiet; making no noise.

In a Sentence: The children were as quiet as mice while their baby brother was sleeping. She tiptoed into the room, as quiet as a mouse.

Other Ways to Say: Silent, Very quiet, Stealthy, Mute

37. A dog’s life

Meaning: A difficult, unhappy, or laborious existence.

In a Sentence: Working two jobs and barely making ends meet is truly a dog’s life. He felt like he was living a dog’s life, with no free time or enjoyment.

Other Ways to Say: Hard life, Miserable existence, Drudgery, Tough life

38. Chicken out

Meaning: To lose courage and decide not to do something one had planned, often due to fear.

In a Sentence: He wanted to bungee jump but chickened out at the last minute. Don’t chicken out now; you’ve worked too hard for this!

Other Ways to Say: Lose courage, Back out, Get cold feet, Flinch

39. Butterflies in your stomach

Meaning: A nervous fluttering sensation in the stomach, usually before an important event.

In a Sentence: I always get butterflies in my stomach before a big presentation. She had butterflies in her stomach on her wedding day.

Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Anxious, Apprehensive, Jittery

40. The early bird catches the worm

Meaning: Success comes to those who prepare well and start early.

In a Sentence: If you want to get good concert tickets, you have to be there early; the early bird catches the worm. He always gets up before dawn, believing the early bird catches the worm.

Other Ways to Say: Be prompt, Early advantage, Promptness leads to success

41. A wolf in sheep’s clothing

Meaning: A person who appears friendly and harmless but is actually dangerous or malicious.

In a Sentence: Be careful of him; he seems nice, but he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The charming con artist was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Other Ways to Say: Deceiver, Hypocrite, Traitor, Hidden threat

42. Like shooting fish in a barrel

Meaning: Extremely easy to do, especially because the target is confined or vulnerable.

In a Sentence: Getting donations from that wealthy crowd was like shooting fish in a barrel. For a seasoned lawyer, winning that case was like shooting fish in a barrel.

Other Ways to Say: Very easy, Effortless, A sure thing, No challenge

43. In a pickle

Meaning: In a difficult or troublesome situation.

In a Sentence: I’m really in a pickle now that my car broke down on the highway. He found himself in a pickle after losing his wallet and phone.

Other Ways to Say: In trouble, In a bind, In a tight spot, Predicament

44. Make a mountain out of a molehill

Meaning: To exaggerate the importance or seriousness of a minor problem.

In a Sentence: It was just a small disagreement, but she made a mountain out of a molehill. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill; it’s not that big of a deal.

Other Ways to Say: Exaggerate, Overreact, Overstate, Inflate

45. The lion’s share

Meaning: The largest portion or the majority of something.

In a Sentence: The eldest son inherited the lion’s share of the family fortune. The marketing department took the lion’s share of the budget.

Other Ways to Say: Largest portion, Majority, Bulk, Most

46. A snake in the grass

Meaning: A treacherous or deceitful person who pretends to be a friend.

In a Sentence: I thought he was my ally, but he turned out to be a snake in the grass. Be wary of him; he’s a real snake in the grass.

Other Ways to Say: Traitor, Deceiver, Hypocrite, Backstabber

47. As sly as a fox

Meaning: Very cunning, clever, and often deceitful.

In a Sentence: The politician was as sly as a fox, always finding ways to get what he wanted. He managed to escape the trap, as sly as a fox.

Other Ways to Say: Cunning, Shrewd, Artful, Tricky

48. Cry wolf

Meaning: To give a false alarm; to ask for help when it is not really needed, so that people do not believe you when you actually need help.

In a Sentence: He’s cried wolf so many times that no one believes him anymore. If you keep crying wolf, people will ignore you when there’s a real emergency.

Other Ways to Say: Give false alarm, Raise false warning, Mislead, Deceive

49. A frog in your throat

Meaning: Hoarseness or difficulty speaking due to a sore throat or phlegm.

In a Sentence: Excuse me, I seem to have a frog in my throat today. He cleared his throat, trying to get rid of the frog in his throat.

Other Ways to Say: Hoarseness, Sore throat, Raspy voice, Voice crack

50. A bull in a china shop

Meaning: A clumsy person who is likely to break things or cause damage in a delicate situation.

In a Sentence: He’s like a bull in a china shop when he tries to help with delicate tasks. The new manager was a bull in a china shop, upsetting everyone with his bluntness.

Other Ways to Say: Clumsy, Awkward, Tactless, Destructive

Exercise to Practice – Idioms for Kids

1. My little brother is so excited about his birthday party; he’s acting _________________________.
2. “Don’t worry about your math test,” said Mom, “I know you’ll do great. It’ll be a _________________________!”
3. When the teacher said we were having pizza for lunch, everyone was _________________________.
4. My dog Sparky is always digging in the garden; he’s as _________________________ when it comes to finding buried toys.
5. My little sister always wants to do everything I do. It’s totally _________________________.
6. “You’re making a _________________________ about forgetting your pencil,” Dad said, “just borrow one!”
7. I had _________________________ before my first performance on stage, but I still sang my best!
8. The little mouse was as _________________________ when it tiptoed across the kitchen floor.
9. He promised he’d share his toys, but then he kept the _________________________ for himself.
10. The teacher told us not to _________________________ when writing our essays, and to take our time.

Answer Key

1. like a kid in a candy store
2. piece of cake (or easy as pie)
3. all ears
4. sly as a fox (as in cunning at finding things, though “busy as a bee” also fits if meaning active)
5. monkey see, monkey do
6. mountain out of a molehill
7. butterflies in my stomach
8. quiet as a mouse
9. lion’s share
10. cut corners

Conclusion

This journey through idioms for kids has underscored their vital role in building strong linguistic foundations. Demystifying these expressions transforms confusion into comprehension, making language tangible for young learners.

Now, confidently apply these insights. Engage children with the playful side of language, using these idioms for kids to spark curiosity. You’re not just teaching words; you’re unlocking a deeper appreciation for communication and meaningful connections.