Duct Tape Challenge Party 10yr

For my son's 10th birthday we decided on a Duct Tape theme.  My son is obsessed with making things out of it and so are many of his friends.  It now comes in many cool colors and patters.  It is cheapest to buy at Target or Walmart, but we made multiple trips to Michaels w/40% off coupons which made it the most affordable.  We also purchased about 10 rolls of the grey tape from the Dollar Tree.  I believe we used 7 of them before the party was over.  It was a very inexpensive party.   For the invitation my son used many duct tape images and made a sign on the computer announcing our Duct Tape Challenge" party.  He used fun taglines like "I'm on a roll.." and "If you can't fix it with duct tape you need more duct tape."  We e-mailed them out but if we had more time I would have sealed an envelope w/DT and sent it out that way.  We used DT for streamers over the table.  For a cake I used 6" round pans.  I frosted one yellow one blue and one red.  The red one I hollowed out the middle and placed an empty DT roll there that was covered w/plastic wrap.  Then I wrapped a red fruit roll the outside so it looked like an open roll.  The blue and yellow I left whole and placed a DT label on the top of both (w/plastic wrap underneath). I used a fork to make the lines on the top and cheesecloth to make the pattern on the sides.  I placed the blue and yellow next to each other and leaned the red one against the middle of them.  My son decorated a large piece of paper like a cutting grid and we placed that on the tray under more plastic wrap. It was very realistic looking and just enough cake (w/ice cream) for 10 boys.  We have a large playroom so we did this inside but it would work well outdoors too.  Our first activity was to walk w/DT rolls balanced on their heads.  If one fell you were eliminated and if you make it you got another roll on top.  The winner made it w/3 rolls balanced.  Next we did a marble run.  We had made 10 strips of DT sticky sides together that were about 18" long.  Then we creased them in the middle to make a runway.  Each child received one and they stood in two lines.  They had to run the marbles down the DT across the room (the first person after they passed thiers off had to run to the end of the line) until they reached a cup and placed the marble inside.  Then we played "human knot".  We used these same pieces of tape and the same teams.  Each child held up a piece of DT. Then they grabbed the end of another piece.  They had to untangle themselves by stepping over or under the DT until they were in a circle.  They liked this and did it a few times.  Our hardest challenge was a writing one.  I took a very large marker and wrapped 5 pieces of DT around it that were about 4 feet long.  Each child took an end and they tried to work together to write "Duct Tape" on a large piece of paper.  (We got a lot of giggles.. but not much on the paper that looked like words.)  "Dress Up" challenge was next.  I wasn't sure how this would go over w/boys but it was hysterical.  Each team received newspaper streamers and a roll of DT.  They had to dress up one member of their team.  We had hats shoes scarves.. you name it.  After that we went "skiing".  Take 2 pieces of DT about 2 feet long.  In groups of 2 kids stand one behind the other and stick their feet to the tape.  Groups slide along to the finish line.  Then was "wrap/throw".  We wrapped 2 kids in DT w/the sticky side out.  The other kids threw balls of DT at them until we got 3 to stick to each.  They all wanted to do this so we did it multiple times.  Then we did a "3 legged race" where I taped their legs together w/DT.  (Make sure you have extra socks available.)  Upstairs we did an "egg drop".  I saved a lot of recycleables and the kids were in groups of two and could choose whatever they wanted to use.  They also each had scissors and DT.  They had to build a contraption that would keep an egg whole when dropped from the 2nd to first floor in our foyer.  (I put an inexpensive tablecloth down on the tile.)  Two groups "lived" and two broke.  Cake time was next.  Then we played "Dirty Santa" with patterned rolls of DT I had purchased for goodies.  I wrapped 10 rolls separately in small brown paper bags and DT around it to hold it closed.  One child picked a roll and opened it.  The next child got to steal that one or take another.  I purchased 2 extra in case anyone was upset at the end but there were no problems.  The last activity we did was to make a "bottle rocket".  (Directions are at familyfun.com) We had them partially made and the boys completed them and decorated them w/more DT.  The fins are supposed to be made out of plastic but we made these out of patterned DT as well to stick w/the theme.  My husband had made 10 launchers out of PVC pipe.  We lined them up and each kid put their rocket on.  1-2-3 and they all went flying.  They got to take home the launcher rocket and roll of patterned DT.  This took just over 2hrs and we don't do gifts so if you wanted to recreate this you would need a bit more time.  For thank you cards my son used colored DT and made each child a fold over type wallet.  He wrote their name inside and "Thanks for coming!"  Have fun!  "