
Melania Trump's Easter Egg Roll on Monday featured her signature Be Best campaign throughout the festivities as President Donald Trump welcomed the cheering crowd to the annual event on the South Lawn at the White House.

'It's a beautiful day. This is a beautiful day. Welcome to the 2019 White House Easter Egg Roll. This is is 144 years we've been doing this. I don't remember the first one,' the president said to much laughter.

He and Melania Trump were joined on the balcony by the Easter Bunny. Barron Trump was not present although he has attended the past two Easter Egg Rolls.

Trump also thanked the first lady for organizing the event.

President Donald Trump speaks as First Lady Melania Trump waves during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House

The first couple takes part in the annual egg roll event

Melania Trump high fives a little girl after she finishes a round of hopscotch

Giant eggs with the president's and first lady's signature were spotted on the White House law

'I have to thank our first lady She worked so hard on this event,' he said. 'So thank you very much. Fantastic job.'

It was a sunny day in Washington D.C. The cool morning had warmed up by the time the first couple joined the festivities on the South Lawn.

There was plenty of room on the White House grounds for kids to roll down the lawn and in general run around and play.

One kid even asked the president about his border wall, much to Trump's delight.

'Oh It's happening. It's being built now. Here's a young guy who said 'Keep building that wall can you believe that?' He's going to be a conservative some day!,' the president said.

The first couple partook in the traditional parts of the Easter Egg Roll - the egg race and writing postcards.

Their first stop was to join the children at the much-loved egg roll, where kids roll eggs with wooden spoons in a race against one another.

'Ready,' the president called and blew the starting whistle.

President Trump greets a young guest at the Easter Egg roll

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump blow the starting whistle for the egg roll

For the first time the Easter Egg Roll featured a hopscotch game

The first couple cheer on egg roll participants

After he started a few rounds of the race, he then patted his wife on the back and let the first lady lead the next round.

Melania Trump, dressed in a light blue coat and in flats instead of her signature heels, then blew the starting whistle to start the kids on the next round.

The first couple also joined children at a post card station where kids could fill out cards for family members, friends, or service members stations overseas.

The two sat at separate tables and were swarmed by children. They colored photos with them and posed for pictures. The president even signed one child's shirt and another kid's arm.

Trump, in his remarks, thanked the egg farmers for their contribution to the day. About 74,000 eggs will be used throughout the day for the event. The eggs were hard-boiled but a few were seen smashed on the White House lawn.

'I like them. I know they like me too. It's the egg farmers,' he said. 'I don't know if you can use them all, but I have a feeling with these young, very ambitious children, they'll all be gone. They'll be gone.'

'So Happy Easter. Enjoy yourselves,' he said.

This year's event featured - for the first time - Be Best hopscotch and musical eggs - which was a game of musical chairs.

About 30,000 people are expected to attend on Monday

The first lady poses for a selfie

Kids were given headbands with fake eggs on them to wear

President Trump poses with the kids at the postcard table

The egg roll is one of the favorite traditions of the day

The president praised the first lady's work on the annual event

The first lady stopped by the hopscotch game to high five the kids when they were done and hand out stickers featuring her Be Best logo.

Signs for her signature initiative dotted the landscape around the South Lawn. Melania Trump read to the kids 'The Wonderful Things You Will Be' by Emily Winfield Martin. The book talked about the importance of kindness, which is a first message the first lady repeats in her Be Best campaign.

Before she began reading, the first lady did a mic check: 'Do you hear me everybody? One, two.'

She sat on a stage with Be Best signs on either side of her.

After she finished reading she told the kids: 'So enjoy the White House. It's great to have you here.'

'And we have a new game this year. It's hopscotch. It's a new fun game,' she added.

East Wing spokesperson Stephanie Grisham revealed the details of the event on 'Fox & Friends' on Monday morning, which was broadcasting live from the South Lawn of the White House.

The first lady gave high fives and handed out Be Best stickers to the kids

Melania Trump draws with children

Grisham said the first lady was very hands on with the planning of the events.

'As with everything she does she is very detail-oriented we started this six months ago. She picked the egg colors. All the activities. New activities that we are really excited for that go in line with her be best campaign. Be best hopscotch for the kids. Be best musical eggs that will be really fun,' Grisham said.

The Be Best Hopscotch and Be Best Musical Eggs were simply the traditional games of hopscotch and musical chairs with the Be Best logo on signs around the events.

Melania Trump read 'The Wonderful Things You Will Be' to the kids

The first couple greet the children upon their arrival

One little girl shows her picture to the first lady

Melania Trump's communications director also said the mood around the White House was cheerful after the release of the redacted report from special counsel Robert Mueller.

'I would say a weight lifted because it was all very ridiculous. It is great. We were down at Mar-a-Lago with the president and first lady. Great mood and spirits and focused on this and going to be a great day. About the people coming here. That's what's important, keeping up traditions and that kind of a thing,' she said.

President Donald Trump, Melania Trump and several members of the first family spent the long holiday weekend in West Palm Beach.

The president, first lady and Tiffany Trump attended church services on Sunday and then the Trump family had brunch at Mar-a-Lago.

'Happy Easter everybody, have a great day,' the president said Sunday upon his arrival the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea, adding: 'A lot of great things are happening for our country.'

The first family also attended Easter service at The Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea last year. And it's where the president and first lady were married in 2005

The Trumps returned to Washington D.C. Sunday night to prepare for Monday's Easter Egg Roll.

About 30,000 guests are expected to attend the annual event, the first lady's office announced on Friday.

The first couple watches the egg roll game

The first couple watches children play in the egg roll

Barron Trump and other Trump children usually attend the family friend event; Barron is seen here with his parents at the 2017 Easter Egg Roll but did not attend this year

Each child on Monday will receive a 2019 commemorative Easter Egg

A post card station was available for kids to write cards to service members

Also taking a turn reading to the kids at the reading nook were Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway, and Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.

Kids also had a chance to go on an egg hunt and visit the egg and cookie decorating station.

There was a miniature presidential podium for the kids to pose for pictures.

Military bands provided entertainment.

Tickets to the event was done through an online lottery system. They are free and for families with children 13 and younger.

The Easter Egg Roll dates back to 1878, when President Rutherford B. Hayes opened the lawn to visitors, according to the White House Historical Association.

Egg rolling has always been the primary event. It has evolved to use wooden eggs instead of real eggs, which made a mess on the lawn.

The wooden eggs are created by the White House Historical Association and given to the children as gifts.

The Official 2019 White House Easter Eggs come in a variety of colors inspired by the rich colors found in the White House State Rooms and gardens: the Green Room, the Blue Room, the Red Room, the Vermeil Room, and the Rose Garden.

The contain the seal of the president and read White House Easter Egg Roll 2019.