Kidioms – An Introduction to Idioms for Kids

The Kidioms iPad app makes learning idioms fun for children, ELL students, or anyone wishing to improve their understanding of English. The app uses an interactive notebook to present an idiom, it's meaning and an example showing the idiom used in context. Each page of the notebook also has a graphic to help illustrate the idiom’s meaning.

In addition to the lessons, Kidioms offers three interactive activities to help reinforce the concepts and provide practice using and understanding the idioms. Word Drop challenges the learner to complete the idiom by choosing the correct missing word. Missing Word asks the user to spell the missing word. In Match-Up the player selects the correct idiom to fill in the blank in a larger block of text.

Common Core Standard that are address by Kidioms:

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

Grade 3

•L.3.5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
◦Distinguish the literal and non-literal meanings of words and phrases in context (e.g.,take steps).
◦Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe people who are friendly or helpful).
◦Distinguish shades of meaning among related words that describe states of mind or degrees of certainty (e.g., knew, believed, suspected, heard, wondered).

Grade 4

•L.4.5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
◦Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context.
◦Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.
Demonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites (antonyms) and to words with similar but not identical meanings (synonyms).

Grade 5

L.5.5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
•Interpret figurative language, including similes and metaphors, in context.
•Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.
Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, homographs) to better understand each of the words.