Why is moss so soft?
For grown-ups: the science
Moss is soft because many tiny, bendy stems and leaves grow close together and often hold water.
Mosses are nonvascular plants with small, flexible shoots and leaf-like structures. Dense mats of these shoots, often containing water, compress easily and can feel soft or springy. Mosses do not make woody trunks like trees.
What about...?
Ask your child's own question
Transcript
A green mossy patch can look like a tiny forest carpet. Why does it feel so soft?
Moss grows many thin, bendy stems packed close together. Your finger presses them down easily.
Its little leaves are soft too, and they can hold water. Water makes the moss patch feel springy and cushiony.
Moss has no hard wood like a tree trunk. Its small, flexible parts make a gentle, soft cover on rocks and soil.
So moss feels soft because it is made of many tiny, bendy, water-holding parts.