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A bog is a bit like a wobbly jelly. All the water in a bog comes from rain, and rain is slightly acidic and doesn't have much goodness in it. The rocks and soil under the bog prevent the rain water from escaping, so the ground stays really wet. Its hard for plants to grow in these conditions.

They grow slowly. When they die, they sink into the bog but hardly rot at all. Eventually the dead plants form a thick heap of peat or turf. The peat in the bog grows at a rate of 1 or 2 mm per year and some bogs have taken thousands of years to form.

Jump up and down to feel the spongy nature of the bog jelly.