Proof of stake is a way for people to make sure that a computer network is safe and secure. It works a lot like a game where everyone has to follow some rules to play. In this game, people who follow the rules get some money or rewards.
So, let's say that there is a computer network that everyone wants to use. To make sure that no one can cheat or harm the network, they need to use something called a "consensus algorithm". This algorithm helps the network agree on what transactions or actions are allowed and what are not allowed.
One type of consensus algorithm is called "proof of work", where people use their computers to solve very hard math problems. If they solve the problem first, they get some rewards. This helps make the network safe because it is very hard for someone to cheat or harm the network without spending a lot of time and money.
Proof of stake is another way of doing this. Instead of using computers to solve hard math problems, people who want to participate in the network have to "stake" some of their own money as a bond. Staking means that they have to lock up some of their money and can't use it while they're participating in the network.
After someone stakes their money, they can vote on which transactions or actions are allowed in the network. If they vote well, they get some rewards. If they vote badly or cheat, they lose their staked money. This makes it very expensive to cheat or harm the network, and people who do it will lose a lot of money.
So, in short, proof of stake is a way for people to make sure that a computer network is safe and secure by locking up some of their own money and voting on what actions or transactions are allowed. They get rewards for voting well, and they lose money if they cheat or harm the network.