WASHINGTON — Thousands of children, most decked out in their Sunday best, raced across the South Lawn of the White House on Monday in the annual Easter Egg Roll.

Swinging large wooden spoons, scores of kids pushed and prodded brightly colored eggs across the White House lawn.

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President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama cheer a child as they host the White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on Monday. The Associated Press

No eggs were broken, but a few hearts were; the races often ended in tears of frustration.

“I like trying to win everything,” said 4-year-old Charlie Tuesca from Kensington, Md.

Leila Voxakis, 2, who couldn’t make it to the finish line despite the urging of a volunteer, ended up picking up her egg and waddling to the line.

“Everything has been wonderful. This is our first egg roll,” said Leila’s mother, Rana Voxakis, 36, of Virginia. “I’m glad that my little girls could experience it.”

The egg roll, now in its 136th year, featured such celebrities as Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III, actor Jim Carrey, singer Ariana Grande, 2014 Miss America Nina Davuluri and Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster.

There also were live performances from pop stars and the Marine Corps Band.

Cam Anthony, the 12-year-old singer who has become a hit on YouTube, started the festivities with a soaring rendition of the national anthem from the Truman Balcony of the White House.

President Obama stepped onto the balcony to welcome the crowd of more than 30,000 people and introduce first lady Michelle Obama.

“Happy Easter! This is the biggest event we have at the White House all year long,” the president told the crowd. He hailed his wife as “the person who makes this all possible.” The Obamas’ daughters, Sasha and Malia, were not in attendance because they were in school, the first lady’s press secretary, Joanna Rosholm, said.

The theme of this year’s egg roll was “Hop into Healthy, Swing into Shape,” part of the first lady’s Let’s Move initiative to encourage fitness and healthful eating among children.

With the egg roll, “we get to celebrate something near and dear to my heart — it’s making sure kids are healthy and active,” Michelle Obama said. Attendees flocked between sports courts, cooking stations, storybook readings and craft areas.

They could also take pictures with vegetable mascots, the Easter bunny, Spider-Man and the Minions from the animated movie “Despicable Me.”

The Obamas made their rounds to each of the stations after the introduction. At the story station, the president read “Where the Wild Things Are,” which he called one of his favorite books when he was a child.

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