There's a free parent guide for when the project specs ask your child to identify the independent/dependent variables, and your budding scientist can't remember which is which...http://www.onlinescienceprojects.com/guide. Our project guides themselves are sold here: http://www.24hourscienceprojects.com.

The year all four of our sons had science projects due, I turned in my own spoof project to the principal: "Do Science Projects Cause Maternal Insanity?" I hated the whole process so much that I found a solution and turned it into a business - we now sell project guides that kids CAN do. Of course the the parent must be involved to some degree - most elementary students can't drive to Wal-Mart and buy supplies. But working together is part of parenting.