A group discussion about Riley and the letters and sounds around him. Invite the children to share and explore together.

1. 1Ask who has met a dog — what was its name? What letter does that name begin with?
2. 2Introduce Riley. 'R is for Riley' — say the sound 'r' together.
3. 3Is Riley big or small? Point to his eyes, ears, legs and tail — what letter do 'eyes' and 'ears' begin with?
4. 4What sound does Riley make? Barking, whining, growling — what letter does 'bark' begin with?
5. 5Find the letter R around the classroom — on rulers, books, crayons and chairs.
6. 6Will Riley walk in rain, sunshine, hail or snow? What letter do those words begin with?
7. 7Where does Riley like to walk? The park, the woods — can you hear the 'p' in park?

This activity helps the children learn the parts of Riley's body — ear, head, eye, nose, leg, tail and paw — and the letter each word begins with. Looking closely at Riley opens up talk about letters, shapes and how a dog is put together.

1. 1The group leader points to each part of Riley — ear, head, eye, nose, leg, tail and paw — and names it together.
2. 2Ask the children what letter each word begins with: 'e' for ear, 'h' for head, 'n' for nose, 't' for tail.
3. 3Children label a picture of Riley by matching each body part to its number and letter.
4. 4Groups are formed — activities can be adapted to suit each child's age and ability.

The children decorate a large letter 'R' and turn it into Riley, adding ears, eyes and a tail.

1. 1[Fill in step 1 — e.g. Give each child a large printed letter 'R'.]
2. 2[Fill in step 2 — e.g. Colour the letter — spots, hearts, anything you like.]
3. 3[Fill in step 3 — e.g. Cut out and attach floppy ears to the top of the R.]
4. 4[Fill in step 4 — e.g. Add googly eyes, a circle nose and a wagging tail.]
5. 5[Fill in step 5 — e.g. Take your letter-dog for a walk and share its story.]

Split the class into five groups — one for each letter of Riley's name: R, i, l, e, y. Each group decorates their letter as a dog and adds a handle, then the letters dance together to spell Riley.

1. 1Split the children into five groups — give each group one letter from Riley: R, i, l, e, y.
2. 2Each group colours their printed letter and turns it into a dog — add ears, eyes, a nose and a tail.
3. 3Decorate with crayons, spots, glitter or newspaper cuttings — every letter-dog can look different.
4. 4Tape a cardboard strip to the back of the letter to make a handle, then join the ends to make a loop.
5. 5Hold the handle and make your letter-dog dance — then line up all five letters to spell Riley together!