Introduction

When people talk about the word for an extended metaphor, they’re usually thinking about a comparison that continues through a whole paragraph or story. In simple terms, an extended metaphor is one big comparison that stretches over several lines. But before kids can understand those, it helps to start with something even easier: similes. Similes are like the friendly doorway into figurative language.

A simile is a comparison that uses like or as. For example, you might say your backpack is as heavy as a boulder or your friend smiles like sunshine. Similes help your writing come alive. They paint pictures in the reader’s mind so ideas feel brighter, clearer, and more fun. And honestly, they make writing way more exciting.

Today, let’s explore the meaning of similes in simple terms, practice creative writing similes, and look at lots of examples of simile sentences. I’ll talk to you just like we’re sitting together at a table working through your writing notebook. Ready to learn and create?

20 Kid-Friendly Similes With Meanings, Explanations, and Examples

1. “She was as bright as the sun.”

Meaning: Very cheerful or smart.
Explanation: The sun shines brightly, just like her energy.
Examples:

Her smile was as bright as the sun.
The classroom felt happier with her sun-bright grin.

2. “He zipped through the hall like lightning.”

Meaning: Very fast.
Explanation: Lightning moves quickly.
Examples:

He ran like lightning to recess.
The puppy darted like lightning across the yard.

3. “The classroom was as quiet as a mouse.”

Meaning: Very quiet.
Explanation: Mice make tiny sounds.
Examples:

During the test, the room was as quiet as a mouse.
The library stayed mouse-quiet all morning.

4. “Her voice was like a soft breeze.”

Meaning: Gentle and calming.
Explanation: Breezes move softly.
Examples:

Her whisper floated like a soft breeze.
His greeting drifted in like a warm wind.

5. “He was as proud as a peacock.”

Meaning: Feeling very proud.
Explanation: Peacocks show off their feathers proudly.
Examples:

He stood as proud as a peacock after winning.
She felt peacock-proud about her art.

6. “The ice cream melted like butter.”

Meaning: Melted very fast.
Explanation: Butter melts quickly.
Examples:

My ice cream melted like butter in the sun.
The snowball disappeared like melting butter.

7. “His hands were as cold as ice.”

Meaning: Very cold.
Explanation: Ice is freezing.
Examples:

Her fingers felt as cold as ice.
His handshake was ice-cold.

8. “She tiptoed like a cat.”

Meaning: Moved quietly.
Explanation: Cats are silent walkers.
Examples:

She crept like a cat into the room.
He tiptoed as softly as a cat.

9. “The puppy was as clumsy as a baby elephant.”

Meaning: Very clumsy.
Explanation: Baby elephants stumble around.
Examples:

The puppy was as clumsy as a baby elephant.
I felt elephant-clumsy in my new shoes.

10. “The snow sparkled like diamonds.”

Meaning: Very sparkly.
Explanation: Diamonds shine brightly.
Examples:

The snow glistened like diamonds.
Her glitter project shimmered diamond-bright.

11. “He was as brave as a lion.”

Meaning: Very brave.
Explanation: Lions are bold and strong.
Examples:

She stood as brave as a lion during the storm.
He felt lion-brave on stage.

12. “The book was light as a feather.”

Meaning: Very light.
Explanation: Feathers weigh almost nothing.
Examples:

Her notebook was light as a feather.
The kitten felt feather-light.

13. “The joke was as old as time.”

Meaning: Very, very old.
Explanation: “Time itself” suggests ancient age.
Examples:

That joke is as old as time.
His story sounded time-old.

14. “He smiled like a Cheshire cat.”

Meaning: Very big or mischievous smile.
Explanation: Inspired by the wide grin of the Cheshire Cat.
Examples:

He grinned like a Cheshire cat.
Her smile spread cat-wide.

15. “The storm was as loud as a roaring train.”

Meaning: Very loud.
Explanation: Trains are noisy when passing.
Examples:

The thunder was as loud as a train.
The crowd cheered train-loud.

16. “She sings like a nightingale.”

Meaning: Beautiful voice.
Explanation: Nightingales are famous for their songs.
Examples:

She sings like a nightingale.
His tune floated nightingale-soft.

17. “The room was as dark as coal.”

Meaning: Very dark.
Explanation: Coal is deep black.
Examples:

The basement was as dark as coal.
The night sky looked coal-dark.

18. “He was as hungry as a bear.”

Meaning: Extremely hungry.
Explanation: Bears eat a lot.
Examples:

I came home as hungry as a bear.
She felt bear-hungry after practice.

19. “Her imagination soared like a bird.”

Meaning: Very creative.
Explanation: Birds fly high; imagination can too.
Examples:

His ideas soared like a bird.
My thoughts flew bird-high while reading.

20. “The pancake was as flat as paper.”

Meaning: Very flat.
Explanation: Paper is thin and flat.
Examples:

My pancake came out as flat as paper.
The clay was rolled paper-flat.

Practical Exercise: Test Your Simile Skills

Questions (10)

She ran ___ the wind.
His backpack was as heavy as a ___.
The baby giggled like ___.
The night was as quiet as a ___.
The joke spread like ___.
Her hair shone like ___.
He was as slow as a ___.
The music was as smooth as ___.
The car moved like a ___.
The water was as clear as ___.

Answers + Explanations

like the wind — Shows speed.
a brick — Bricks are heavy.
bells — Bells make cheerful, bright sounds.
a mouse — Mice are quiet.
wildfire — Wildfire spreads quickly.
gold — Gold shines brightly.
a snail — Snails move slowly.
silk — Silk is soft and smooth.
rocket — Rockets move fast.
glass — Glass is clear.

Conclusion

Similes are one of the simplest and strongest tools in creative writing. They help you describe things in a way that teachers, friends, and readers can instantly picture. Instead of saying “the room was quiet” or “the girl was happy,” similes let you say things like quiet as a mouse or bright as the sun. They make your writing more colorful and more fun to read.

Before understanding the word for an extended metaphor, learning similes gives young writers a solid foundation. Now that you’ve explored the meaning of similes, practiced examples of simile sentences, and tried your own, you’re ready to keep growing. Look around your world and turn what you see into fresh, creative similes. You might be surprised at how imaginative your writing becomes!