What is stress?

Stress is when something gets squished or pulled because it has to hold up more than usual.

Imagine you're holding a balloon full of air. It's nice and round, and it feels light in your hand. Now, imagine someone starts adding more and more air into the balloon, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. The balloon gets bigger and bigger, and it starts to feel tight all around. That’s stress, the balloon is getting squished or stretched because it has to hold up more than it normally does.

Think of your favorite slinky. When you let it hang down, it's loose and relaxed. But if you pull both ends apart, it gets all stretched out and tight, that’s stress too! The slinky is being pulled from both sides, just like how something can be squeezed or stretched when it has to handle more weight or force.

Sometimes stress feels like the balloon getting ready to pop, or like the slinky trying not to snap. It happens in everyday things, like when you're holding a heavy backpack or when a bridge holds up cars and trucks. Stress is just something being pushed or pulled because it has to work harder than usual.