President Donald Trump gave life advice to the children of the White House staff and the reporters who cover him on Thursday afternoon, telling them: 'Never take drugs, don't drink alcohol, don't smoke, enjoy your life.'

He also took a swipe at the media as he entertained White House reporters' children on the South Lawn on Thursday afternoon.

Trump told the kids that 'often times they report correctly,' laughing and adding 'most of the time.' He conceded that press want 'to get the word out fairly and honestly' and they're 'serving the entire nation' to make a better future for their children.

'I even love the media today, I see these beautiful children, products of the media, and I actually like you much more than your parents,' he told the kids.

Trump told the children about the pfresidential limousine, known as 'The Beast' for the custom-made vehicle's bullet-proof windows and the heavy-duty material that makes up its body.

'I guess it's one of the worlds most expensive cars unfortunately. It's like riding around in an army tank,' he revealed.

President Donald Trump took a swipe at the media as he entertained White House reporters' children on the South Lawn on Thursday afternoon

Trump told the kids that 'often times they report correctly,' laughing and adding 'most of the time'

He conceded that press want 'to get the word out fairly and honestly' and they're 'serving the entire nation' to make a better future for their children

Trump indicated to the children that he likes living at the White House, which he exchanged when he became president for a New York City penthouse

Trump indicated to the children that he likes living at the White House, which he exchanged when he became president for a New York City penthouse.

He said, 'Sometimes I walk up these paths and I look around and I say wow, there's no place like this anywhere on earth.'

'The White House is a place of history., 1799,' he told them. 'That's a long time.'

The U.S. president told them that Chinese President Xi Jinping considers the White House to be a modern structure.

'He thinks that's a modern house because their culture is very old. 5,000 years. But this is really something that no matter where you go, no matter the time no matter the date, there is nothing like our great White House,' he contended.

Trump revealed that Xi will be visiting the White House soon as he spoke about the children's parents helping him make sure the White House 'puts its best foot forward when we welcome foreign leaders' to the government building.

'We have Prime Minister Abe of Japan coming tomorrow for a very important meeting. We will soon be having President Xi from China coming,' he revealed.

Trump did not say when Xi would be coming or where in the U.S. the meeting would take place. Usually, U.S. presidents and Chinese leaders meet somewhere other than the White House.

Earlier in the week in Washington the president honored award-winning White House photographers at a private ceremony.

He razzed them during the children's event for taking unflattering photos of him.

'Sometimes I wish they could make me look a little bit better,' he said. 'Sometimes I think they do it on purpose actually. Always my chin is pulled in, I look terrible, but that's ok,' he teased.

Trump did not take questions from working journalists at the event, who were there to observe the interaction. His regular press pool attended but the children' parents were not allowed to join in. They sent their kids off with White House staff for the annual event.

Reporters' kids were mixed in with White House staffers' children. Trump told staffers' children, 'Your moms and dads are working very hard to keep our country safe from danger and to keep America prosperous, thriving and strong,' he told them.

He also gave the kids life advice. 'Never take drugs, don't drink alcohol, don't smoke, enjoy your life. You don't need it. It causes a lot of problems,' he said.

'If you learn one thing, I didn't come up here to say that but I say it all the time to my kids,' he told the visiting children.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders also held an event for the children.

It came in the form of her first press briefing in 45 days on Thursday morning - but only children who came to work with their parents could ask questions.

The entire event, save for the fact that it happened and the vice president made a surprise appearance, was deemed non-reportable by the White House.

Repeated requests to put it on the record were denied by White House officials.

Vice President Mike Pence had not been expected to be there but popped into the event mid-way through and stayed long enough to take questions from a pint-sized crowd.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders held her first press briefing in 45 days on Thursday morning - but only children who came to work with their parents could ask questions

Sanders holds one of her sons as her daughter grips the podium during the briefing for children of journalists and White House staff in the Brady press briefing room at the White House

Children raise their hands in an attempt to get a question from the vice president

Sanders and Pence stand at the podium with the press secretary's three children. Her husband, Bryan, and her father, Mike Huckabee, look on from seats on the far-left side of the room

Sanders also took questions from the children, but did not stay to take questions from the press. She did not respond to a query as she left from a working journalist about an on-the-record briefing for the press.

Trump's administration has kept with the tradition they inherited from the previous administration of having journalists' and staffers' children come to the White House for a joint Take Your Sons and Daughters to Work Day event.

Typically, it involves a press briefing, a luncheon and a meet-and-greet with the president.

Reporters will be allowed to cover Thursday afternoon's event on the South Lawn of the White House. The press briefing itself had been billed, however, as strictly off the record.

It wasn't easy for the White House to keep a lid on the event for long, as attendees and journalists shared photos of the children and the vice president.

Sanders also took questions from the children, but did not stay to take questions from the press

She did not respond to a query as she left from a working journalist about an on-the-record briefing for the media

The White House gave out special edition Hershey's kisses to youngsters who participated in the briefing

Pence was making his debut in the briefing room, adding to the intrigue. He has never spoken to working press in the room that Sanders rarely uses for briefings now

Pence was making his debut in the briefing room, adding to the intrigue. He has never spoken to working press in the room that Sanders rarely uses for briefings now.

He has held several pen and pad briefings for journalists, however, in other areas of the White House complex.

The VP wasn't the only surprise guest at the briefing. Sanders' husband, Bryan, attended along with the couple's three children.

Sanders' father, Mike Huckabee, a two-time presidential candidate and the former governor of Arkansas, also sat in a seat in the briefing room typically reserved for White House staff when the cameras are on.

Trump's spokeswoman had some help during her portion of the briefing from her own kids, who climbed on the podium and scampered around near her legs.

The White House gave out special edition Hershey's kisses to youngsters who participated in the briefing.

The first lady also gave a photography lesson on the South Lawn, a tweet from her spokeswoman revealed. That event was open to administration staff only.