Obamas welcome thousands to White House for Easter egg roll

WASHINGTON (KABC) -- The nation's first family welcomed thousands of children to the South Lawn of the White House on Monday for the annual Easter egg roll.

About 30,000 people from all 50 states attended this year. The activities included story time, obstacle courses, yoga, dancing and of course, the traditional egg roll.

This year's theme "Get Up and Go!" stressed healthy eating and exercise advocated by first lady Michelle Obama as part of her campaign against childhood obesity.

With his family and the Easter bunny looking on, President Barack Obama blew a whistle to start one of the traditional egg-rolling races.

"Is everybody ready? Everybody feels good about their form?" he asked.

After the egg roll, it was story time, with Sasha and Malia taking turns reading "Where the Wild Things Are." Obama and the first lady then read "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom."

Later Monday, Obama ventured back outside during a high-energy performance by Willow Smith, the 10-year-old daughter of actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, who performed her hit song "Whip My Hair."

The Easter egg roll dates to 1878 and President Rutherford B. Hayes.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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