Idioms are fun expressions that don’t always mean what they sound like. You might hear someone say, “It’s raining cats and dogs,” but that doesn’t mean animals are falling from the sky. It just means it’s raining a lot. Idioms are used every day, and they can make conversations more interesting and colorful. Kids use idioms too, sometimes without even noticing.
Learning idioms helps us understand what others are saying and lets us speak more clearly. In this article, we’ll look at some easy and common idioms that kids can use or hear at school, at home, or with friends. Each one has a meaning that’s different from the words used, and we’ll explain what they really mean. Get ready to learn some phrases that will make your speech more playful and smart.
Idioms for Kids
1. Break a leg
Meaning: Good luck
Sample Sentences: “Break a leg in your school play!” / “Mom said, ‘Break a leg!’ before my spelling bee.”
Other Way to Say: Good luck / Do your best
2. Hit the hay
Meaning: Go to bed
Sample Sentences: “I’m tired. I’m going to hit the hay.” / “Dad said it’s time to hit the hay after the movie.”
Other Way to Say: Go to sleep / Time for bed
3. Piece of cake
Meaning: Very easy
Sample Sentences: “That math test was a piece of cake.” / “Helping Grandma was a piece of cake.”
Other Way to Say: Super easy / No problem
4. Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: Share a secret by mistake
Sample Sentences: “Oops! I let the cat out of the bag about your birthday gift.” / “He let the cat out of the bag too soon.”
Other Way to Say: Spilled the secret / Gave it away
5. Raining cats and dogs
Meaning: Raining a lot
Sample Sentences: “We stayed in because it was raining cats and dogs.” / “It’s raining cats and dogs out there!”
Other Way to Say: Pouring rain / Really rainy
6. Under the weather
Meaning: Not feeling well
Sample Sentences: “I stayed home because I was under the weather.” / “She looked under the weather today.”
Other Way to Say: Feeling sick / Not well
7. Cold feet
Meaning: Nervous
Sample Sentences: “I got cold feet before my class speech.” / “He had cold feet about the big race.”
Other Way to Say: Nervous / Scared to try
8. The early bird catches the worm
Meaning: People who act fast or early succeed
Sample Sentences: “He got the best toy because he was the early bird.” / “Let’s go early the early bird catches the worm!”
Other Way to Say: Be early / First is best
9. On cloud nine
Meaning: Very happy
Sample Sentences: “She was on cloud nine after winning the prize.” / “I felt on cloud nine when we went to Disney.”
Other Way to Say: Super happy / Full of joy
10. Spill the beans
Meaning: Share a secret
Sample Sentences: “Tell me! Spill the beans!” / “He spilled the beans about the surprise trip.”
Other Way to Say: Tell me the secret / Let it out
11. Hit the books
Meaning: Start studying
Sample Sentences: “I have a test tomorrow. Time to hit the books!” / “He hit the books after dinner.”
Other Way to Say: Start reading / Study hard
12. Butterflies in my stomach
Meaning: Feeling nervous
Sample Sentences: “I had butterflies in my stomach before the show.” / “She got butterflies before the race.”
Other Way to Say: Felt nervous / A little scared
13. Cat got your tongue?
Meaning: Why are you not speaking?
Sample Sentences: “You’re so quiet. Cat got your tongue?” / “He didn’t answer must be cat got his tongue.”
Other Way to Say: Why so quiet? / No words?
14. A dime a dozen
Meaning: Very common
Sample Sentences: “These toys are a dime a dozen now.” / “Friends like that are a dime a dozen.”
Other Way to Say: Easy to find / Very common
15. When pigs fly
Meaning: Something that will never happen
Sample Sentences: “You’ll clean your room? Yeah, when pigs fly!” / “He’ll skip video games when pigs fly.”
Other Way to Say: Never / Not going to happen
16. Hit the nail on the head
Meaning: Get something exactly right
Sample Sentences: “You hit the nail on the head with that answer.” / “Her guess hit the nail on the head.”
Other Way to Say: Right on / Exactly right
17. Zip your lip
Meaning: Be quiet
Sample Sentences: “Zip your lip during the movie.” / “He told me to zip my lip about the surprise.”
Other Way to Say: Hush / Keep it quiet
18. In hot water
Meaning: In trouble
Sample Sentences: “He’s in hot water for being late again.” / “I was in hot water after breaking the lamp.”
Other Way to Say: In trouble / Big oops
19. Monkey see, monkey do
Meaning: Copying what someone else does
Sample Sentences: “She jumped, then her brother did too monkey see, monkey do.” / “He copied me again, monkey see, monkey do!”
Other Way to Say: Copycat / Doing the same
20. Put a sock in it
Meaning: Stop talking
Sample Sentences: “Put a sock in it! I’m trying to read.” / “He told his brother to put a sock in it during the show.”
Other Way to Say: Quiet down / Stop talking
21. Have a blast
Meaning: Have lots of fun
Sample Sentences: “We had a blast at the party.” / “I had a blast playing in the snow.”
Other Way to Say: Had fun / Great time
22. Two peas in a pod
Meaning: Very similar or close
Sample Sentences: “My best friend and I are like two peas in a pod.” / “They act the same two peas in a pod.”
Other Way to Say: Very close / Just alike
23. Cry wolf
Meaning: Ask for help when you don’t need it
Sample Sentences: “Don’t cry wolf, or no one will believe you next time.” / “He cried wolf too many times during games.”
Other Way to Say: False alarm / Tricking others
24. Big fish in a small pond
Meaning: Someone important in a small group
Sample Sentences: “She’s the best artist in our class a big fish in a small pond.” / “He’s a big fish on the small team.”
Other Way to Say: The leader / Top in a small group
25. Hold your horses
Meaning: Wait a moment
Sample Sentences: “Hold your horses we’re not ready yet.” / “Hold your horses before rushing in.”
Other Way to Say: Wait up / Slow down
26. Jump the gun
Meaning: Do something too soon
Sample Sentences: “He jumped the gun by answering too fast.” / “We can’t jump the gun and leave early.”
Other Way to Say: Too fast / Acted early
27. Walk on eggshells
Meaning: Be very careful what you say or do
Sample Sentences: “We walked on eggshells around Dad today.” / “She’s sad, so I walked on eggshells.”
Other Way to Say: Be careful / Watch your steps
28. Let sleeping dogs lie
Meaning: Don’t bring up old problems
Sample Sentences: “Just let sleeping dogs lie don’t start a fight.” / “He left it alone to let sleeping dogs lie.”
Other Way to Say: Leave it alone / Don’t bring it up
29. Bite your tongue
Meaning: Stop yourself from saying something
Sample Sentences: “I had to bite my tongue not to laugh.” / “She bit her tongue instead of yelling back.”
Other Way to Say: Stay quiet / Keep it in
30. Barking up the wrong tree
Meaning: Blaming the wrong person or idea
Sample Sentences: “You’re barking up the wrong tree I didn’t take your book.” / “He’s barking up the wrong tree if he thinks I broke it.”
Other Way to Say: Wrong guess / Wrong person
31. In the same boat
Meaning: In the same situation
Sample Sentences: “We’re both tired we’re in the same boat.” / “They were in the same boat with too much homework.”
Other Way to Say: Same problem / Together in this
32. Out of the blue
Meaning: Something unexpected
Sample Sentences: “She called out of the blue.” / “Out of the blue, it started snowing!”
Other Way to Say: Suddenly / Surprise
33. Pulling your leg
Meaning: Joking with you
Sample Sentences: “Relax, I’m just pulling your leg!” / “She laughed and said she was pulling my leg.”
Other Way to Say: Just joking / Just kidding
34. The ball is in your court
Meaning: It’s your turn to make a choice
Sample Sentences: “He gave me the gift the ball is in my court.” / “I said sorry. Now the ball is in her court.”
Other Way to Say: Your move / Your choice
35. Time flies
Meaning: Time goes by fast
Sample Sentences: “Time flies when we’re having fun.” / “Wow, it’s 4 already time flies!”
Other Way to Say: Time goes fast / Day went quickly
36. Shake a leg
Meaning: Hurry up
Sample Sentences: “Shake a leg or we’ll miss the bus!” / “Mom said to shake a leg and get dressed.”
Other Way to Say: Hurry up / Move faster
37. Keep your chin up
Meaning: Stay positive
Sample Sentences: “Don’t be sad keep your chin up!” / “Even after losing, she kept her chin up.”
Other Way to Say: Stay strong / Don’t give up
38. Once in a blue moon
Meaning: Very rarely
Sample Sentences: “We eat out once in a blue moon.” / “Snow in May happens once in a blue moon.”
Other Way to Say: Not often / Rarely
39. Get cold feet
Meaning: Become nervous before something
Sample Sentences: “He got cold feet before the class show.” / “She had cold feet and didn’t jump in the pool.”
Other Way to Say: Got scared / Lost courage
40. Bark is worse than bite
Meaning: Someone sounds mean but isn’t
Sample Sentences: “The coach yells, but his bark is worse than his bite.” / “She talks loud, but her bark is worse than her bite.”
Other Way to Say: Not really mean / Sounds scarier
41. Cut it out
Meaning: Stop doing something
Sample Sentences: “Cut it out with the noise!” / “The teacher said, ‘Cut it out!’ when we were loud.”
Other Way to Say: Stop it / Knock it off
42. On thin ice
Meaning: Almost in trouble
Sample Sentences: “You’re on thin ice for being late again.” / “After yelling, he’s on thin ice.”
Other Way to Say: Close to trouble / Careful now
43. Head in the clouds
Meaning: Not paying attention
Sample Sentences: “She missed the question her head was in the clouds.” / “Stop daydreaming! Head out of the clouds.”
Other Way to Say: Not focused / Daydreaming
44. Break the ice
Meaning: Start talking or make things less awkward
Sample Sentences: “Telling a joke helped break the ice.” / “He broke the ice with a funny story.”
Other Way to Say: Start things / Get things going
45. Like a bull in a china shop
Meaning: Very clumsy
Sample Sentences: “He ran through the room like a bull in a china shop.” / “She’s careful, not like a bull in a china shop.”
Other Way to Say: Clumsy / Messy mover
46. A penny for your thoughts
Meaning: Asking someone what they are thinking
Sample Sentences: “You look quiet a penny for your thoughts?” / “She asked, ‘Penny for your thoughts?’ while I stared out the window.”
Other Way to Say: What are you thinking? / Tell me your thoughts
47. All ears
Meaning: Ready to listen
Sample Sentences: “I’m all ears tell me everything!” / “He said he was all ears for my story.”
Other Way to Say: I’m listening / Go ahead
48. Cry over spilled milk
Meaning: Be upset about something that can’t be changed
Sample Sentences: “Don’t cry over spilled milk it’s already done.” / “He cried over spilled milk after losing the game.”
Other Way to Say: Let it go / Move on
49. Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: Stay up late working
Sample Sentences: “She burned the midnight oil to finish her science project.” / “I burned the midnight oil to study.”
Other Way to Say: Stayed up late / Worked late
50. Let the chips fall where they may
Meaning: Let things happen naturally
Sample Sentences: “I did my best. Now let the chips fall where they may.” / “He said to try and let the chips fall where they may.”
Other Way to Say: See what happens / Let it be
51. Back to the drawing board
Meaning: Start over
Sample Sentences: “The plan failed back to the drawing board!” / “We went back to the drawing board after the model broke.”
Other Way to Say: Start again / New try
52. Get a taste of your own medicine
Meaning: Be treated the same way you treat others
Sample Sentences: “He teased others, then got teased he got a taste of his own medicine.” / “She didn’t like her own medicine.”
Other Way to Say: Got payback / Felt how it feels
53. Go the extra mile
Meaning: Do more than expected
Sample Sentences: “She went the extra mile helping with cleanup.” / “He went the extra mile on his project.”
Other Way to Say: Did more / Gave extra effort
54. Blow off steam
Meaning: Let out anger or stress
Sample Sentences: “He went for a run to blow off steam.” / “She yelled to blow off steam.”
Other Way to Say: Calm down / Let out energy
55. Keep an eye on
Meaning: Watch something closely
Sample Sentences: “Keep an eye on the cookies in the oven.” / “Please keep an eye on my backpack.”
Other Way to Say: Watch / Look after
Multiple Choice Quiz: Idioms for Kids
1. What does “hit the hay” mean?
A) Jump on a pile of hay
B) Go to sleep
C) Get hurt while playing
2. If someone says “break a leg” before your performance, what do they mean?
A) They want you to fall
B) They’re joking
C) They’re wishing you good luck
3. What does “let the cat out of the bag” mean?
A) Release a real cat
B) Say something funny
C) Accidentally tell a secret
4. If you’re “under the weather,” how do you feel?
A) Excited about the forecast
B) Not feeling well
C) Cold from standing outside
5. What does “a piece of cake” mean when talking about a task?
A) It’s tasty
B) It’s very easy
C) It takes a long time
6. “Spill the beans” means:
A) Make a mess in the kitchen
B) Tell a secret
C) Eat something quickly
7. If your friend has “ants in their pants,” what are they likely doing?
A) Standing still
B) Being very quiet
C) Moving around a lot
8. “Couch potato” is someone who:
A) Loves mashed potatoes
B) Spends a lot of time being lazy
C) Jumps on the couch
9. What does “cold feet” mean?
A) Your feet are cold
B) You changed your shoes
C) You feel nervous before doing something
10. “Monkey business” in class means:
A) A visit to the zoo
B) Fun but silly or naughty behavior
C) Reading a book about monkeys
11. If someone is “all ears,” they are:
A) Wearing ear muffs
B) Not paying attention
C) Listening carefully
12. What does “on cloud nine” mean?
A) Sitting on a pillow
B) Very happy
C) Flying in a plane
Answer Key
- B) Go to sleep
- C) They’re wishing you good luck
- C) Accidentally tell a secret
- B) Not feeling well
- B) It’s very easy
- B) Tell a secret
- C) Moving around a lot
- B) Spends a lot of time being lazy
- C) You feel nervous before doing something
- B) Fun but silly or naughty behavior
- C) Listening carefully
- B) Very happy
Scoring Guide
- 12 Correct Answers: Love Idiom Master!
You really understand these fun expressions. - 8–11 Correct Answers: Well on your way to understanding love idioms.
Great job! You know a lot already. - 4–7 Correct Answers: Room for improvement, but you’re getting there!
Keep practicing and learning more idioms. - 0–3 Correct Answers: Let’s explore the world of love idioms together.
No worries everyone starts somewhere. Try again and you’ll get better!
Conclusion
Idioms can make language more fun and easier to connect with others. They often say something in a creative way that helps people understand feelings or actions quickly. When kids learn idioms, they can follow conversations better and express themselves in new ways.
Now that you’ve read about many idioms, try using them when you speak or write. Whether you’re “all ears” in class or feeling “on cloud nine,” these phrases can help you say what you mean. Keep listening for idioms in books, shows, or everyday talk they pop up more than you might think.
