Can someone explain the difference between a hard fork and a soft fork like I'm five?

Alright, I keep hearing about "forks" in crypto—Bitcoin Cash was a fork, Ethereum had that big fork, and there's always talk about potential upgrades. I get that it means a change to the rules, but I'm completely lost on the practical difference between a "hard" fork and a "soft" fork. Why does one create a totally new coin and the other doesn't? Is it about how many people agree? A simple, clear explanation with real examples would be a lifesaver.