In the early years of my career we used to use a phonics program that included inflatable letter people. Whenever we would introduce a specific letter, we would put the inflatable character outside our classroom door and have another teacher knock on the door. The children loved this routine and looked forward to the time when it would be their turn to open the door and welcome a new letter person into the classroom.
I will never forget the day T... excitedly went to open the door when it was his turn. He flung the door open and yelled " Oh no! He's dying!" Sure enough, Horrible Harry had sprung a leak since my assistant had filled him with air less than fifteen minutes before. In no time flat, he looked more like the wicked witch that melted in The Wizard of Oz.
