Though some kindergarten students are not yet able to read well, reading can be one of the best ways to address similes. Many kindergarten teachers read stories to their classes on a regular basis. Choose a story that contains similes to help you introduce this concept to the children. Point out each simile as you read through the story and ask the students what they think it means. Explain how the similes compare two things that are not the same to make a point.
Some children may have already encountered instances of similes in their personal lives without realizing it. Provide the kindergarteners with examples to get them thinking of their own experiences. For instance, ask them if anyone has ever told them that they are "growing like a weed." Some children have likely heard that line from relatives they don't see on a regular basis. See how many other instances the children can come up with from their own lives.
Similes are often used in poetry because of the imagery they use to give an overall picture in few words. Share some poetry with the class to give them an example of how similes work in poems. Give the class a topic for a poem and help them to create one as a class. Because most kindergartners can't write well, you may need to help them by writing it out on the board where everyone can see it. Make sure they use at least one simile in the poem.
If your kindergarten class is having difficulty coming up with their own similes, you can help them along by giving them some blanks to fill in. Write a few examples on the board, leaving part of the simile blank. For example, you can write "cute as a," "smart as a," "quick like a" and "round as a" on the board in front of the class. Ask the students to come up with words to accurately complete the similes. There can be more than one correct answer, so everyone can have a chance at filling in the blanks.