What are blood vessels?

Blood vessels are the pipelines in your body that help carry blood from your heart to all your parts and back again.

Think of them like a big city with roads, just like cars move along streets, blood moves through blood vessels. Your heart is like a pump, pushing blood out so it can travel far and wide.

• Arteries are the main highways that take blood away from your heart. They’re strong and stretchy, like rubber bands.
• Veins are like back roads that bring blood back to your heart. They have little valves inside them, kind of like doors, to help blood move in the right direction.
• Capillaries are tiny side streets where blood gives off oxygen and picks up stuff it needs, they’re so small you can’t see them!

Blood vessels work together with your heart to keep all parts of your body happy and healthy, just like roads keep cars moving smoothly around a city!