5 Fabulous Figurative Language Activities

5 Fabulous Figurative Language Activities

– see what I did there?

Looking to teach figurative language in a fun and engaging way? Then look no further!

Inspire your kids to add colorful and creative metaphors, similes, idioms, onomatopoeia, and more with these figurative language activities and lessons.

Let’s dive in!

1. Figurative Language Musical Hunt 

What better way to explore figurative language than through music? Ask your kids to listen to a selection of songs or print out the lyrics to well-known songs and identify examples of metaphors, similes, personification, imagery, and more.

This anchor chart includes examples of figurative language from Taylor Swift songs – choosing songs that students enjoy and are familiar with is a great way to make learning relevant!

I’ve created a set of figurative language graphic organizers which are perfect for students to record the examples they find! The pack also includes definitions of each type of figurative language for those kids who need a refresher and help them work independently!

2. Figurative Language Match 

A great way to introduce, explore, or revise figurative language is with a matching activity! And you guessed it – I’ve done all the hard work for you! My Figurative Language Activities pack includes a couple of variations where students match the name of the figurative language technique, the definition, and an example sentence or phrase. Techniques include alliteration, hyperbole, similes, imagery, and more.

Simply print the pages you need, and students cut, match, and paste – easy peasy!

My favorite way to play: Give each student a different card. Have them identify whether they got a type of figurative language, a definition, or an example. Play music and have them mix up, pausing here and there so they can check and see if they found a match. Help everyone find their triad by the end of the song!

3. Figurative Language Creative Writing 

Let your kids’ imaginations run wild with a fun figurative language creative writing activity! A great way to demonstrate learning, this minibook activity includes eight figurative language techniques and space for kids to write what each technique is, along with a creative example about a picture prompt.

4. Mentor sentences

Another great way to explore figurative language is by using mentor texts! Select quality texts and ask your kids to find examples of figurative language in literature –  and give it a fun name by including “quest”, “challenge” in the title! Then the mentor sentences can be used as a model for writing their own sentences. 

To take the hard work out of finding mentor texts, I’ve created a nine-week writer’s craft resource that includes mentor sentences and really helps kids appreciate and notice figurative language. It also explores grammatical structures and gives kids the opportunity to write then own sentences and really grasp an understanding of this fun and creative concept.

5. Build an anchor chart 

If you’re like me, you will find a way to include an anchor chart in everything you teach because they are just so effective! So why not build a figurative language anchor chart filled with examples you find in literature as you read throughout the unit?

To help you get started, I’ve got a free resource to use with the book Mud by Mary Lyn Ray. Read more about the lesson here on my blog or download the free resource at the bottom of this post!

I’ve made a handy set of posters to go along with your anchor chart too! Each poster includes a figurative language technique, a short definition, and an example sentence. The posters are perfect for displaying around your anchor chart for kids to refer to while reading and adding to the chart.

So I hope these figurative language activities give you some inspiration and ideas to teach this fun topic! It’s such a great chance for kids to explore their creativity and build skills that can improve their writing now and into the future!

Grab the ready-to-go activities for teaching figurative language!

Here are the links to all of the resources mentioned in this post:

• Figurative Language Posters for Anchor Charts – Teachers Pay Teachers / Buzzing with Ms. B
• Figurative Language Graphic Organizers & Matching Activities – Teachers Pay Teachers
• Figurative Language Minibook Creative Writing Activity – Teachers Pay Teachers
• Free Mentor Text Lesson: Mud by Mary Lyn Ray – Teachers Pay Teachers / Buzzing with Ms. B
• Mentor Sentences – Figurative Language Craft – Teachers Pay Teachers