So today we're going to combine fun and language. 

One really entertaining aspect of any language are the expressions and idioms. 

To explain 'idiom' to kids, tell them that idioms are kind of like codes. 

(I don't know about you, but my children love codes!)

Idioms are phrases — or groups of words — that don't make sense unless you already know what they mean when put together.  Again, just like codes!

Also, idioms often don't mean what you think they mean at first!  (How crazy is that?)

For instance, my four-year-old knows that when we buy somebody a birthday present, we can't then go up to that special person and "spill the beans."

What do beans have anything to do with the situation?  Nothing!  It's an idiom!

English is chock full of great idioms.  Today your kids will be having fun learning about idioms . . . and stumbling across some that they've generated themselves.

First, though, here are a couple of common English idioms for you to discuss with your kids as examples.  Ask your kids what these simple sentences mean:[more]

At her work, my Mom is the big cheese.

We know for sure that there will be donuts at Rose's birthday party, because my Mom heard it straight from the horse's mouth!

My Dad thinks that one of the boys at my school is a real bad egg.

As far as I'm concerned, vanilla can't hold a candle to chocolate.

Once your kids understand the concept, it's time to start teaching them the code.  Idioms are a great and fun way to express yourself — so why should kids be left out?

And now, for today's activity, have your kids come up with a list of ten common things.  Common is important — supernovas, red-eyed tree frogs, and fudgsicles are not to be found in idioms, sorry to say.  Stars, frogs, and chocolate are better ways to go!

Once you guys have complied your list of things, see if you as the parent can think of any idioms containing these words.  Not to worry if you can't, there are two very user-friendly websites on which you can search.  They are here and here.  (The first website just will give you a list of idioms containing the word; the second site will also give you a definition.  Both are good resources, in my book.)

A quick tip:  on those websites, you might have to try different versions of the word.  My four-year-old suggested "strawberry" for which, sadly, there is no idiom.  But the plural form, strawberries, brings back this interesting phrase that I'd never heard before:  like giving strawberries to a donkey.  As in this sentence:  taking me to see a professional ballet performance is like giving strawberries to a donkey.  (I think that phrase is kind of entertaining and useful!)

And of course, not all words will bring up an idiom.  Simply put, many words have not found their way into idioms.  Oh, well.  No use crying over spilled milk.  That's the way the cookie crumbles.

My six-year-old, who is into pirates at the moment, suggested the word "cannon."  I said, "Oh, sorry.  Surely that's not used in an idiom."  However, when we typed that word into a website, we got "loose cannon."  That's a perfectly good one!

Later in the day, my son exclaimed, "I know another idiom:  sweet tooth!"  Yes, I think that counts.

We hope you enjoy this one.  We hope it's more fun than a barrel full of monkeys.  We hope it's a ball!  No bones about it!