VIDEO: White House egg roll traditions mixed with new activities

My favorite moment at today's White House Easter Egg Roll had to be when President Obama read Where the Wild Things Are to a group of kids.

Telling them it was one of his favorite books, he read the book loudly, intoning at the right moments, acting out the "gnashing of teeth" and pointing out to one child, "He's got a fork in his hand, like he's going to eat the dog!"

He described one of the monsters from the Maurice Sendak tale (click here for the must-see preview of the upcoming film version) as "like a dragon-looking wild thing."

He asked the kids to act like the monsters and "Everybody try staring without blinking," and asked them, "Have you guys ever been in a loud rumpus?"

When the president was done he took a little bow but noticed one toddler was crying after the story. "Those wild things, they can be a little scary," Obama told the kid, adding "But it's alright, you end up back in your room with your supper."

As he left, he growled and asked, "Any wild things here? I just want to make sure."

First Lady Michelle Obama asked the kids to bid him farewell by saying "Bye, Obama!"

A bit later when playing basketball with some kids, Obama instructed them: "Don't play video games all the time."

I made a video compilation of some of the activities. Take a look:

— Christina Bellantoni, White House correspondent,
The Washington Times

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