Learning opposites comes with a variety of benefits for children, such as expanding their vocabulary, helping them understand comparisons, and growing their ability to accurately describe the world around them.

Learning opposites is also important for children because it helps them develop critical thinking skills by allowing them to identify similarities and differences between objects, concepts, or events, which in turn aids in sorting, classifying, and understanding relationships.

List of Opposite Words for Kids

These lists of words are organized by how difficult it is for children to understand their meaning, rather than how difficult it is for children to read them. In order to understand if words are opposite, children need to understand what the words mean. 

Tip: Some of these words may be trickier for children to read and may require help from an adult or older sibling.

Simple Opposite Words for Kids

Intermediate Opposite Words for Kids

Challenging Opposite Words for Kids 

ABCmouse’s Monster Opposites Song for Kids

Kids will delight in learning about opposites with this cute and catchy song and video.

Tips for Teaching Opposite Words to Kids

1. Use visual or tactile examples of the words.

For example, when discussing “smooth” or “rough,” compare objects with these qualities, such as an apple and orange.

For the more complex concept of “build” and “destroy,” let your child construct a small tower of stuffed animals or pillows and then knock them over. 

2. Try Daily Comparisons.

Whether at home, running errands, or outside playing, you can work with your child to spot opposites. For instance, at the grocery store, you can compare a big box or bag of food with a small one or at the playground, compare the rough feel of sand in a sandbox versus the smooth feel of the metal or plastic play structure.

3. Make It a Game.

Turn learning about opposites into a game of I Spy. For example, tell your child “I spy with my little eye something clean.” Then your child would try to find the opposite, or in this example, something dirty.

4. Play Online Rhyming Games

Try these fun free to play games from ABCmouse.com.

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