Examples of Hyperbole for Kids

Hyperbole is an exaggeration used for emphasis or humor. This literary tool is often used to make a certain element of a story seem more interesting. To say you were bored to tears (even when you were never on the verge of crying) packs a bit more of a punch than, "I was bored."

This literary tool isn't meant to be taken literally because, while lying isn't encouraged, stretching the truth is the name of the game. Let's have some fun with entertaining examples of hyperbole for kids that'll acquaint them with a new element of fiction and hopefully spark a lifelong friendship.

Size works great for hyperbole because it's easy to make something larger than life. See a few fun, kid-friendly examples of hyperbole the whole family can enjoy.

• She's as thin as a toothpick.
• Her brain is the size of a pea.
• He was skinny enough to jump through a keyhole.
• That mall is large enough to have its own zip code.
• I ate so much on Thanksgiving, I weigh more than a whale.
• Her smile was a mile wide.
• His stomach is a bottomless pit.

Hyperbole is all about drama. It is an exaggeration, after all. See some fun uses of hyperbole to express desperation.

• If I can't get a smartphone, I will die.
• My mom is going to kill me.
• These dress shoes are killing me.
• It was so cold I saw polar bears wearing jackets.
• My mom works her fingers to the bone.
• I had a ton of chores to do.
• I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.
• It's so hot you could fry an egg on the sidewalk.
• We used to walk 15 miles to school in the snow uphill.
• You could have knocked me over with a feather.

Kids generally have a hard time fully understanding amounts and money. Therefore, amounts are typically exaggerated. See how this works through a few examples.

• Our new house cost a bazillion dollars.
• The church was decorated with a million flowers.
• He's got tons of video games.
• It's gonna cost a million dollars, so I won't ask.
• I ran a hundred miles yesterday.

Time gets exaggerated a lot with hyperbole. See a few excellent examples of hyperbole for kids.

• Grandpa is older than dirt.
• Old Mr. Smith has been teaching here since the Stone Age.
• My dad is always working.
• I've told you a million times not to do that.
• We waited 50 years for the latest game to be released.
• It will only take me two seconds to get there.
• You're walking slower than a snail.
• Carrie never stops talking.

Kids see advertisements all the time, and many contain hyperboles. Explore some examples of hyperboles in advertising.

• Disneyland - "The happiest place on Earth."
• Energizer - "Keeps going and going and going."
• Oscar Meyer - "It doesn't get better than this."
• Redbull - "It gives you wings!"
• Frosted Flakes - "Brings out the tiger in you, in you!"
• Lucky Charms - "They're Magically Delicious!"
• Earth Explorer Toys - "The best little toy store on Earth!"
• Coca-Cola - "Open happiness."
• Cranium - "The game for your whole brain."
• Lays Potato Chips - "Betcha can’t eat just one."
• Dunkin’ Donuts - "America runs off Dunkin."
• Meow Mix - "Tastes so good, cats ask for it by name."
• Smuckers - "With a name like Smucker’s it has to be good."

Now that the kids are hooked on hyperbole, we hope you'll continue the fun with more examples of hyperbole. And, when the time's right, why not expand their horizons into personification or alliteration? These figure of speech examples provides a nice starting point for all the fictional fun you're about to ensconce them in.