Young children who are not familiar with acids and bases can learn about them with an experiment involving lemon juice and baking soda. Lemon juice is an acid, and baking soda is a base. Juice one lemon into a small measuring cup. Put 1 tbsp. of baking soda into a clear glass. Add 1 tsp.of dish washing liquid to the clear glass. Children should stir it and then put on safety goggles. Pour in the lemon juice, and watch the soap suds foam.
Demonstrate the reaction of combining acids and bases with a simple volcano experiment. Use a plastic bottle for this project. Fill the bottle halfway with vinegar. Wrap 1 tbsp. of baking soda in on square of toilet paper. Tie it together with thread to make a small ball. Once you are ready, drop it into the vinegar bottle. There should be an eruption like a volcano. For older children, explain that this reaction creates carbon dioxide gas, which is the fizziness you observe.
Students can work on an acid-base reaction that looks like magic. Add 100 ml of water and three drops of phenolphthalein, which is a colorless pH indicator, to a clear glass beaker. The liquid should look clear. Add two drops of ammonia, and the solution should turn red, indicating it is a base. Add two drops of vinegar, and the solution should turn clear again. The vinegar is an acid, and when it was added to the base, the solution became neutralized, turning it clear.
Create a rocket with Alka-Seltzer or other effervescent tablets, which contain sodium bicarbonate and citric acid. While the tablet is dry the chemicals do not mix. However when the base and the acid mix with water they react, forming a fizzy reaction. Add a small amount of water to a film canister. Break off a small piece of Alka-Seltzer or other effervescent tablet into the film canister and close it with the lid. Turn the canister over and place it on the ground. It should fly into the air.