When we talk about circuits, there are two main types: series circuits and parallel circuits. Each type works a little differently.

Series Circuits:

• In a series circuit, all the parts are connected one after another.
• The flow of electricity, called current, is the same all along the circuit.
• Voltage, or electrical pressure, is shared among the parts. You can think of it this way: the total voltage is the sum of the voltage across each part: $V = V_1 + V_2 + V_3 + \ldots$
• If one part stops working, the whole circuit stops too. For example, in a string of Christmas lights, if one bulb goes out, the entire string might not light up.

Parallel Circuits:

• In a parallel circuit, all the parts are connected to the same voltage source at the same time.
• This means the voltage is the same for each part.
• The current divides among the different branches. So, it's like this: $I = I_1 + I_2 + I_3 + \ldots$
• If one part fails, the others keep working. For instance, in your home, if one light bulb burns out, the other bulbs will stay bright.

To sum it up, think of it like this: a series circuit is like having one path, while a parallel circuit has many paths!