Personalizing a rod?

Because of logistics, I will be buying 18 identical sets of fishing
gear for the kids' trip. That means the same make/model rod, reel and
color/type of line.

The question is: how can I have the kids personalize their rod and/or
reel so that they can tell it apart from the others? I'm thinking of
silly little ways like wrapping different colored thread around the
shaft, or taping their name under the reel foot, but maybe someone has
a better idea?

--riverman