Apple of My Eye

Appreciating metaphors can help children appreciate the beauty and power of language. Have some fun with this, over time. Create a little ritual (high fives, keeping score, etc.) when you spot one. Keep a list on the refrigerator.

Here are a few familiar metaphors (and a smilie or two.)

His head was spinning; feel blue; broken heart; apple of my eye; a moving speech; heated debate; deep thoughts; breaking news; winds of change; glued to their seats; end on a sour note.

A favorite category is descriptions of people – special ways of capturing something unique or special about them.

Early bird. Lame duck. Sitting duck. Night owl. Love birds. Spring chicken. Looney. Chick. Peacock. Cock of the walk. Batty. Fly by night. Flighty. Henpecked. Shark. Barracuda. Fish out of water. Crabby. Slippery. Swimming upstream. Swimming against the tide. Lemmings. Cool as a cucumber. Corny. Apple of my eye. Peach. String bean. Salty. Sour grapes. Hotdogger. Saucy. Cheesy. Wet noodle. Thorny. Shrinking violet. Rosey. Wallflower. Coyote. Badger. Paper tiger. Bull in a china shop. Long in the tooth. Foxy. Horse’s (butt). Weasel. Mousey. Stallion. Filly. Snake. Louse. Horse of a different color. Chameleon. Busy bee. Bees knees. Pack rat. Green with envy. Red hot. Yellow. Blue. Tough as nails. High strung. Built. Train wreck. Stacked. About to explode. Broken record. Bleeding heart. Spacey. Cute as a button. Spitfire. Old school. Fit to be tied. Loose cannon. Off their rocker. Pistol. Brown nose. Hard nosed. Sharp as a tack. Diamond in the rough. Granola. Helicopter mom. aaaaand (it’s your turn.)