Creativity, fun and stickiness were the order of the day during Duct Tape Challenge, held Friday, Sept. 11, at the North Bend Library.

A dozen Valley youths, teenagers and younger, competed for prizes for the most original, fun or functional creation from rolls of duct tape, straws, and other materials.

Teen Services Librarian Sarah Lynch provided the youths with several books on duct tape arts and crafts, then turned their imaginations loose.

Duct tape can be used to make Halloween costumes, sculptures, even prom dresses.

Twin Falls Middle School student Taylor Ryan, 12, expended several rolls worth of tape to create a heavy, giant ball, winding the tape for more than an hour. Ryan planned to continue adding to his ball in the months ahead, exploring the possibilities of an ever-expanding orb.

Joseph Thompson, 14, followed instructions to create a duct-tape hat.

“It fits good,” he said. “It’s a little tough to get it the way I wanted it.” The hat wasn’t sticky, but it consumed two rolls in construction.

Prize winners included Andrew Thompson, 12, whose spaghetti and meatballs made from tape won first place. Abby Bateman won second place for her pencil, eraser and glue stick tape creations, and Zeke Kingery took third place for his duct tape top hat.

The challenge was part of King County Library System’s “Get Creative at the Library” summer reading program.

Books on tape

Books that can help children explore their duct tape creativity include:

• “The original duct tape Halloween book,” by Jim and Tim, the duct tape guys. Filled with more than 101 clever costume ideas.

• “Ductigami : the art of the tape,” by Joe Wilson. 18 projects to make with tape.

• “Got Tape? Roll out the fun with duct tape!” by Ellie Schiedermayer. More than 25 quick and easy projects for the whole family.