Get quackin' with a rubber ducky party.
Since the very first rubber duck floated its way into someone's bathtub in the early 1800s, the iconic yellow quackers have come a long way. The original ducks weren't squishable and didn't squeak. Rubber ducks gained fame when one of "Sesame Street's" main characters, Ernie, sang of his love for the little yellow guys. Today, rubber ducks come in far more colors than just yellow and are available in a variety of sizes, shapes and themes. Does this Spark an idea?
Custom Quackers
Celebrities get ducky for charity by decorating or autographing rubber ducks and donating them for fans to bid on, but your party guests don't have to be superstars to participate. Purchase enough plain yellow rubber ducks for all attendees to have one and set up a table of decorations, such as paint and brushes, feathers, glitter, stick-on gems and accessories, such as tiny hats and glasses. Let guests' imaginations waddle off as they decorate their ducks, transforming them into little pieces of art. Host a competition for the cutest duck, the most realistic, the scariest and the most outrageous. Guests can keep their ducks as a take-home gift at the end of the party; no fat wallets necessary to bid on these soon-to-be prized possessions.
Duck Swap
Take a cue from party hosts who encourage guests to bring unwanted clothes or books with them to swap with other attendees and host your own duck swap. If you and your friends are big into collecting the hundreds of different rubber duckies in the world, you may end up with some doubles or ones you thought looked good on the computer but didn't like when they floated into your mailbox. Bring your swapables and create a duck swap. Rubber duckies come in almost every theme imaginable, from celebrities (also known as CelebriDucks) such as Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley to Presidents to ducks in holiday themes for Halloween, Christmas and Valentine's Day. There are also ducks that are made to look like other animals (cats, dogs, fish) and ducks that take on the appearance of occupations (fireman ducks, nurse ducks, military ducks). Since ducks are sometimes sold in bulk packages (a lot of 12, for example), you may find a duck swap to be the ideal way to share your flock and bring home some new duck friends.
Ready Race
Get guests' competitive spirits up and floating as you host a rubber duck race at your party. Hand each party attendee a duck upon arrival along with a waterproof black marker. Ask guests to sign their names or initials on the duck's base. The race works in any body of water; if you have an in-ground pool, have all guests kneel at one side of the pool and drop in their ducks. Twigs and tree branches may be used to prod ducks along "race style," with the winner being the person who signed the duck that first reaches the opposite side of the pool. If you don't have your own pool, try the race in a small pond or lake, but be sure you can easily access all sides of the water to rescue errant ducks or ones who have decided to float in search of a different path.
Tags: duck swap, rubber ducks, their ducks, ducks that, floated into, pool have, rubber duck