Balloon Rocket

• Experiment with balloons of different sizes and shapes.Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
  
  Tie a long piece of string to a door handle, put the free end through a drinking straw, then attach the free end to a fixed object across the room. Inflate a balloon but do not tie it; simply hold it so the air cannot escape. Hold the balloon underneath the straw and tape it in place, so that the balloon and straw can move freely along the string. When you release the end of the balloon, the air rushing out will thrust it and the straw forward along the string. Experiment with different shaped balloons to see if shape alters the speed or distance the "rocket" travels.
  
  

Soda Rocket

• Seltza water makes a less sticky alternative to soda.Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  In this experiment, which teaches children about pressure, the lid of a small empty container such as a film canister acts as the rocket. Fill the empty canister 3/4 full with soda. Firmly attach the lid and give the canister a really good shake. Point the canister away from everyone's face and watch the lid explode into the air. Experiment with the amount of soda in the canister, keeping the amount of shaking the same; then experiment with the amount of shaking, keeping the amount of soda the same. Always wear safety glasses for this project.
  
  

Antacid Tablet Rocket

• Carbon dioxide gas builds up when the effervescent antacid hits the water.Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  Half fill an empty canister with water, then add 1/4 of an effervescent antacid tablet and observe what happens. Repeat the same experiment, this time putting the lid in place, and again observe what happens. With the last two pieces of tablet, repeat the experiment again, but this time place the canister inside a cardboard tube with one end sealed. Experiment with different amounts of water and tablet until the canister rocket shoots out of the cardboard tube.
  
  

Rocket Launching

• Everything in space is constantly moving, so launching a rocket and causing it to land in the correct place in space requires exact timing. Go to a park or playground with a spinning merry-go-round, which will represent the spinning Earth. Fill a bucket with small balls and place a large, empty container or basket about 10 feet from the merry-go-round. Step aboard with the bucket of balls and throw some into the empty container; children will see this is easy. Now have someone spin the merry-go-round and try to throw balls into the container as you go past. This requires much more attention to timing.