• The National Science Teachers Association's mantra is that "science should be fun, not scary." Science projects are a part of every schoolchild's education. The students learn concepts and principles with the hands-on education gained from even the simplest science experiments. Schools may play it safe with easy baking soda and vinegar volcanoes, but you and your child can think a bit more out of the box at home.
  
  

The Candy Geyser

• This experiment is an updated version of the baking soda and vinegar volcano. Collect a two-liter bottle of soda and a roll of Mentos candies. Take the cap off the bottle and place the bottle on a level surface so that it will not tip over. Make a tube out of a piece of paper large enough to hold the Mentos but small enough to fit over the top of the bottle. Let the Mentos drop all at once into the bottle of soda and run. The soda will erupt into a high-flying geyser. Perform this experiment outdoors.
  
  

Magic Rainbow Milk

• Pour some whole or 2 percent milk into a pie plate. Gently squeeze six to eight drops of different-colored liquid food coloring around the perimeter of the milk. Place two to three drops of liquid dish detergent, preferably the Dawn brand, into the center of the milk and watch the action as moving rainbows form. What you see is the result of protein and fat molecules in the milk responding to the changes in the liquid.
  
  

Screaming Balloons

• This simple experiment about friction needs only a penny, a 1/4-inch hex nut and latex balloons. Insert a penny into a latex balloon and blow it up, being careful not to inhale the penny. Tie off the stem of the balloon. Hold the stem end of the balloon, and turn the balloon upside down so that the palm of your hand is facing the floor. Give the balloon a gentle shake, and then begin to move it in circles. The penny will start to move quickly in circles in the inside of the balloon even after you have stopped moving it.
  
  Repeat the same exercise substituting a 1/4-inch hex nut for the penny. The edges of the nut rubbing against the sides of the balloon cause friction that result in a screaming sound. Try the experiment with different-sized balloons and a different number of hex nuts.
  
  

The Leak-Proof Bottle

• Remove the label from a clean and empty 2-liter soda bottle. Use a nail to puncture a hole on the side of the bottle approximately 1 inch from the bottom. Put your finger over the hole and fill the bottle halfway with water. Remove your finger from the hole and water starts to rush out. Put your finger over the hole again and twist the cap back firmly onto the bottle. Remove your finger from the hole again and the water stays in the bottle. When the cap is off of the bottle, air pressure forces the water out wherever it can. When the cap is on, gravity pushes the lack of air pressure and external gravity keeps the water in the bottle.
  
  Take another clean, empty 2-liter soda bottle. This time use a thumbtack to poke a number of tiny holes around the bottle approximately 1 to 2 inches from the bottom. Place a large bowl of water in the sink and set the soda bottle in the water. Be sure that all of the holes are covered by the water in the bowl. Turn on the tap and fill the bottle with water. Keep the water running as you twist the cap back onto the bottle. Set the bottle on the table and ask the next person you see to pour you a glass of water. Watch carefully as the fun begins.