Soil structure

Soil structure is like a big castle made out of sand or blocks.
When you go to the beach and make a sandcastle, you probably start by making a big pile of sand.
That pile is a lot like a piece of soil before it has a structure.
But then you start packing the sand together and adding water, which makes it stick together better.
This is a lot like what happens in soil - tiny bits of rock and organic material get stuck together to form bigger pieces.
These bigger pieces can then stick together to form even bigger pieces, kind of like how the walls of your sandcastle stick together to form the castle.
But just like with your sandcastle, the structure of the soil can change depending on how much water there is, how much pressure there is, and other factors.
If the soil is too dry, it can start to crumble apart.
If it's too wet, it can get mushy and fall apart.
Soil structure is really important for plants because it affects how much air and water can get to the roots.
Just like how sand can't hold up a tall castle very well, some soil structures can't support tall plants very well.
That's why farmers and gardeners often work to improve the structure of the soil so that their plants can grow better.