Silicon dioxide is a type of material that's made up of tiny little pieces called atoms. These atoms are very special because they each have a certain number of other atoms around them that they like to stick to, kind of like how magnets stick together.
When you have a lot of these silicon dioxide atoms all stuck together, they can form different things like crystals or glass. You might have seen glass before, it's made out of silicon dioxide and it's clear and shiny.
Silicon dioxide is very strong and can resist breaking or being scratched, which is why it's used for things like phone screens, windows, and even computer chips!
So, in simple terms, silicon dioxide is a very special material made up of tiny little pieces that can make all sorts of cool things like glass and computer chips.