There was just a touch of coulrophobia (the fear of clowns) on display at the Mount Cooth-tha Botanic Gardens at the launch of the official Children's Week celebrations.
Families were out in force to enjoy the free outdoor entertainment on offer and Bumbles the Balloonatic Clown was a huge draw card.
Most of the kids were delighted to whisper a request for a balloon frog, dog or bee but a great many preferred to check out the action from a bit of a distance.
But Viola Blackburn, aged five and a half, was having none of it.
She was all smiles when Bumbles put her magical touch to creating a pink balloon poodle.
Laugh and the world laughs with you and all that.
I have to say, however, that Bumbles must indeed be a special creature to keep smiling in conditions that would melt the make up off a mere mortal.
I had a headache just looking at her but as Groucho Marx said "A clown is like aspirin, only (s)he works twice as fast."
Yep laughter is the best medicine even for those who are just a bit unsure about the class clown.
