Metaphors about children
1 – A sponge of knowledge
Like a blank page, a child is born unbiased and full of curiosity. Their minds are ready to suck up knowledge and be filled with life lessons.
2 – A curious cat
They do love to explore and get into trouble, and another version of this metaphor rings true as well – “curiosity killed the cat” or at least got the “cat” in trouble and grounded for a week.
3 – A firework of energy
Have you ever tried to get a young child or toddler to sit still? Sometimes it can seem like you will never be able to rest, and that the little human has energy for days.
4 – A bundle of joy
Yes, especially for a new family, a child is truly a bundle of joy that can bring happiness and pride. This is probably one of the most commonly used metaphors about children.
5 – A blank canvas
As babies, we have no bias or preconceived notions…we are truly a blank canvas for language, behavior, and so much more.
6 – A fresh start
Every child or baby is a fresh start as their destiny is not written, and they have the potential to do anything when given the right surrounding influences and opportunity.
7 – A tornado of emotions
Youth can make kids a swirling wind of emotions with no sense of reflection and patience that is to be learned later in life.
8 – A roller coaster of emotion
Especially when children reach puberty, as they are being pulled all over by outside influences and hormones.
9 – A bud waiting to bloom
The child or kid is truly a flower that has not bloomed or opened, to show us their true colors at maturity, but the potential is there.
10 – A puzzle piece
A child can complete a family or community that is in need of the hope and potential that a kid can bring.
11 – A wild mustang
Younger ages, such as the terrible twos and later, puberty, can feel like “riding in a wild mustang” of emotions and drama from a teenage child. Similarly, a wild child can be referred to as a wild mustang.
12 – A lighthouse
A child can truly bring a family to completion on their journey, many people live to marry and have kids to feel complete.
13 – A pocketful of dreams
Children are small, not quite that small that one could fit in your pocket, but you get the idea. A kid is a tiny set of possible dreams.
14 – A beacon of hope
A child with destiny can be seen in many movies such as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars. Kids are often portrayed in cinema as being a beacons of hope or guiding lights for their people. In reality it is often hoped they will bring fortune and prestige into the family.
15 – A ray of sunshine
This metaphor about children compares them as a shining ray of light. Children are truly rays of sunshine that can bring brightness and warmth into a family’s life.
16 – A mirror
A child can reflect what they have learned learn during that clean slate period and can be taught goodness or otherwise. They more often reflect the teachings of their parents.
17 – A treasure chest
Kids, when they are young, are full of surprises, both good and sometimes even naughty. You never know what you will find inside a newly discovered treasure chest. Generally, though, this metaphor about children implies that they are full of wonderful things.
18 – A lantern in the dark
A kid can bring comfort or hope to their family and others with their innocence. This hope is alluded to by the mental image of light in a dark place.
19 – A snowflake
It is well known that no two snowflakes are alike. Truly, every child is one of a kind, especially before they grow up in the world and learn social norms.
20 – A waterfall of words
If you spend an afternoon with many children, you will understand this metaphor….so many words and questions all rushing out at the same time, like a strong current of water running off a mountain.
More metaphors about children
Here are some more interesting metaphors about kids.
21 – A lightning bolt
22 – A book with a locked cover waiting to be opened.
23 – A Unique Soul.
24 – A balloon full of giggles.
25 – A tiny teacher.
26 – A shooting star.
27 – A candle in the window.
28 – A whistle in the wind.
29 – A flashlight in a cave.
30 – A budding talent.
31 – A nest of ideas.
32 – A garden in bloom.
33 – A wind-up toy.
34 – An energizer.
35 – A gentle gift.
36 – A little storm.
37 – A page yet to be written.
38 – A pocket full of stars.
39 – A little tornado
A little tornado describes a very active young child or toddler who may leave a small trail of destruction in their path around the family home. The perfect words to describe my brother when he was around 5 years old.
Hopefully you enjoyed these metaphors about children. To finish off, here is some fun information about the word kid. That you may not know of.
The term “kid’ for children is a word borrowed from early Scandinavian. The old Norse word “kið” was used to describe certain young animals, including goats. The adopted word changed in the Middle English period between 1150 to 1500 to become kyd/kide, and young goats are called kids in English to this day.
At some point (possibly in the late 1500s), the word kid began to be used to refer to human children. It is not entirely clear why this happened. One school of thought is that a baby goat’s behaviour and cries are similar to a human baby’s.
Another theory is that it came from the Germanic word for child, “kind”. In any case, the word child is now interchangeable with kid, although kid can be said to be a more casual word.
A very famous “Kid” is, of course, the great American outlaw, Billy the Kid. Born November 23, 1859. There are many legends of Billy, with many never having been confirmed, such as the number of crimes he committed, but his legend was so big and beloved that after his death, the locals raised money to buy him a headstone out of respect.
