A kids’ guide to blockchain: the digital chain you can’t break

This children’s article, A kids’ guide to blockchain: the digital chain you can’t break, has been written for native English speakers and learners of English as a second or foreign language. It can help children build vocabulary, learn about modern technology, and understand how blockchain works. Written by Mark Pulley, a teacher and writer who creates fun and informative news articles for English learners.

What is blockchain?

Imagine a giant notebook that everyone in the world can see at the same time. When someone writes a note in it, the note is copied into every single notebook. Nobody can sneak in and rub something out or scribble over it, because all the other notebooks would still have the real version.

That’s basically how blockchain works. Instead of paper pages, it uses blocks of digital information. Each block is linked to the one before it, making a chain. Together, they make a record that can’t easily be changed.

How does it work?

Every time new information is added, like a payment or a message, it becomes a new block. That block is checked and confirmed by lots of computers around the world. Once it’s accepted, it’s linked to the chain forever.

Think of it like adding a Lego brick to a long, colourful tower. Once you click a new brick on top, it’s stuck there. You can keep building higher, but you can’t go back and swap out the bricks underneath.

What is it used for?

The most famous use of blockchain is for digital money, such as Bitcoin. However, it can also be utilised for art (such as NFTs), online gaming, or even to ensure people vote safely in elections.

Because everyone shares the same giant notebook, it’s very hard to cheat. That’s why businesses, banks, and even schools are looking at ways to use blockchain in the future.

Why does it matter?

Blockchain is important because it helps people trust each other, even when they’ve never met. If you send money online, you want to be sure it arrives safely. If you buy a piece of digital art, you want proof that it’s really yours. Blockchain helps with both.

We might not notice it every day, but blockchain could be running in the background of our lives more and more. Like electricity, Wi-Fi, or the internet itself. It’s a tool for trust in a digital world.

Article vocabulary list

• Blockchain: A digital system that stores information in linked blocks, like a chain.
• Digital: Something that exists on computers or online, not on paper.
• Block: A set of information added to the chain.
• Chain: A line of blocks linked together in order.
• Bitcoin: A type of money that only exists online, not as coins or notes.
• NFT: A special kind of digital art or item that belongs to one person.
• Transaction: An exchange, like sending or receiving money.
• Trust: Believing something is true or fair.

Comprehension questions

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