Material strength is like how strong your toys are. Some toys break easily if you drop them, and some toys can handle a lot more rough play.
Scientists use big machines to test how strong materials are. They pull or push on the material until it breaks.
Different materials have different strengths. Some are strong but heavy, like a big rock. Others are light but not as strong, like a balloon.
When people design things like buildings, bridges, or airplanes, they need to use materials that are strong enough to hold things up, but not so heavy that they are hard to move or use.
So just like you pick the right toys for different situations, people pick the right materials for different things to make sure they don't break or fall apart.