The big show

The 10-month-old baby is a natural showman and something of a ham. At the least sign of an appreciative audience he will happily embark on an ad-libbed routine of crawling, climbing, rolling, pushing, pulling, dropping things or picking them up in a bid for applause. But, like all hams, a baby needs wise direction if his act is to merit acclaim. With disciplined guidance, his clownish attempts can be developed into such circuslike feats as rope hangs, handstands, wheelbarrows, chinups and even "tightrope" walking on a beam, as René Pouteau is nonchalantly doing here. Far from being mere tricks, however, these exercises, like those which preceded them (SI, May 2, et seq.), provide a valuable means of expression for the baby's growing aspirations and help him gain the physical dexterity he will need for a properly active childhood.

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BALANCING ACT IS PERFORMED WITH APLOMB

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AS IF WAITING FOR APPLAUSE, A POISED AND RELAXED RENE TAKES A CONFIDENT LOOK TOWARD MORE ACTIVE MONTHS AHEAD