The POTUS turns into the world’s biggest goofball around children – and these silly, funny and adorable photos of President Obama with kids prove it.

Image: The White House/Pete Souza via Medium

Being President of the United States may well be the world’s most demanding, stressful and downright serious job. But when it comes to kids, it’s high fives all around for the current leader of the free world. Indeed, during his eight years in office, Barack Obama has always taken time out for a bit of childlike fun. And that means anything from moments goofing off in the Oval Office to games on the White House lawn.

After spending a day reading long, dry briefings, you can’t blame Obama for getting a little into it when he gets his hands on some lighter reading material. In 2014, moreover, he jumped straight into character during a reading of Where the Wild Things Are. And that came complete with lots of roaring, playful clawing and funny expressions.

Image: The White House/Pete Souza via Getty Images — Image: Pete Souza/The White House via Getty Images

In 2009 five-year-old Jacob Philadelphia inquisitively queried America’s first black president by saying “I want to know if my hair is just like yours.” Obama then offered his head to the tie-clad youngster and said, “Touch it, dude.” And the spontaneous moment was quickly snapped, becoming a little slice of history in the process.

Image: Pete Souza/White House via Getty Images

And it’s not just a willingness to play peekaboo that makes President Obama popular with kids, according to the POTUS himself. Indeed, the commander-in-chief told comedian Jerry Seinfeld his own theory on the matter. He remarked, “They love me ‘cause my ears are big and so I look a little like a cartoon character.” He also admitted that little ones enjoy saying his name!

Children who attend the yearly White House Easter Egg Roll leave with keepsake eggs which feature POTUS and FLOTUS autographs inscribed on them. But this little girl got a bonus. Now, in fact, she has the unique memory of Obama going the extra mile by crouching down and helping her push her hard-boiled egg across the lawn.

Image: Pete Souza/The White House via Getty Images

Rubbing shoulders with royalty is clearly no biggie for President Obama. Equally, meeting the president didn’t seem to faze the United Kingdom’s Prince George of Cambridge. The regal toddler was awake way past his bedtime when he greeted the leader of the free world. Still, that didn’t stop him showing his appreciation for the Obamas’ past gifts to him: a rocking horse and a stuffed dog.

Image: The White House/Pete Souza via Flickr — Image: The White House/Pete Souza

Every Halloween, Barack and Michelle Obama open their doors to neighborhood trick or treaters. What’s more, they also throw a party for military household children and White House staffers’ kids. And on such occasions, it appears that the president just can’t seem to get enough of the adorable wee ones in their costumes. That’s amply demonstrated here by his delighted reaction to baby Snow White. But then if you can’t act like a goofball on Halloween, when can you?

President Obama went all out when it came to Pope Francis’ U.S. visit in September 2015. A month later, though, this baby pontiff also got a big welcome while at the White House. And Obama could barely contain a case of the giggles as the tiny toddler wheeled its way to the Prez in his white “papal” toy car. The child also went on to win the highest accolade in the Halloween costume contest.

Image: The White House/Pete Souza via Flickr — Image: The White House/Pete Souza

Every family has its own annual Christmas rituals. And for the First Family, this involves a visit to sunny Hawaii – one of the places the president has called home. When he’s not shaking hands and making speeches, though, Obama takes the time to share a laugh and a festive joke — in this case, with a military family kid at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Uh, guys, it’s not polite to point!

Image: The White House/Pete Souza via Flickr — Image: The White House/Pete Souza

Cutiepie Ella Rhodes was “the best photo subject of the year” in 2015, according to chief official White House photographer Pete Souza. She’s the Deputy National Security Adviser’s baby girl, seen here in her Halloween get-up with a chilled-out Obama. And who would have thought an elephant, of all animals, would bring out the Democratic president’s playful side?

Image: The White House/Pete Souza via Flickr — Image: The White House/Pete Souza

Learning to crawl on the carpets of the Oval Office will be a pretty big humblebrag for baby Ella when she grows up. But wait until she tells her friends who crawled around with her: a goofball President Obama. And from the looks of it, Barry O. prefers palling around with Ella to fielding calls from that red phone. Can we blame him?

The president couldn’t resist the opportunity to pump his “muscle man arms” and pose with this tiny Superman during a White House Halloween gathering. Shortly after, the world leader squatted down for a high five with mini Sup. Then, adorably, Obama fell over and told the Man of Steel in training, “You’re so strong, you knocked me over!”

The president grabbed the chance to get involved in the fun and games when he met with these pre-schoolers in Georgia. Obama was free flowing with the high fives and got silly by squinting through a big magnifying glass. Yet, one of the schoolchildren still wondered out loud whether the overgrown kid/commander in chief was teaching the class that day.

Image: Martin H. Simon-Pool/Getty Images

It might not have been an even match, but 6’1” President Obama just couldn’t hold back from schooling these kids in B-ball at the White House Easter Egg Roll. He’s big into basketball and has frequently been spotted shooting hoops, even at the FBI building.

Image: The White House/Pete Souza via Flickr — Image: The White House/Pete Souza

Most statesmen might be happy just to watch kids break out their dance moves at a school show. At one point, though, Obama felt compelled to bust some moves of his own, too. That happened after the prez beheld a few native Alaskan dance routines at a middle school in the icy northern state. After that, moreover, he got up and said “I’ve been practicing” before waving his arms around in rhythmic solidarity with the group.

Image: Photo by Pete Souza/White House Photo via Getty Images — Image: Pete Souza/White House Photo via Getty Images

The First Family served up nine types of pies for Thanksgiving 2013; suffice to say, then, that the POTUS is partial to a pastry treat or two. But he’s still happy to share his pie with a cute kid, as seen here. He even gets animated about it, encouraging the boy to open up for a big “jaws” bite.

Image: The White House/Pete Souza via Flickr — Image: The White House/Pete Souza

From fist bumps to head bumps, the 44th president lights up at the sight of babies. It’s understandable, then, that he’s made the White House friendly to parents and those who are expecting, too. Little touches like dedicated nursing spaces and adaptable scheduling, for example, have all added to the pro-family atmosphere there.

Image: The White House/Pete Souza via Flickr — Image: The White House/Pete Souza

Finding the time to stop and smell the roses – or any other flower for that matter – can be challenging when you’re the POTUS. But, thanks to his cute little niece Savita, President Obama was inspired to do just that. After all, even the world’s most powerful man needs to take the occasional Zen moment to blow the seeds off a dandelion puff.

The president’s track record with superheroes – at least those of the miniature variety – is pretty good! There was getting knocked down by a whopping high five from the mini Man of Steel, of course. But in 2012 Obama also managed to get himself ensnarled in tiny Spider-Man’s powerful web. We wonder what’ll happen when he meets Batman…

“No rabbit ears!” is something Obama has been known to say before group photos. But the president clearly sensed that his instructions were being disregarded by some of the kids here. What a good sport! The snap itself was taken at MacDill Air Force Base’s elementary school in Tampa.

Obama spotted this zonked-out kid at a White House Father’s Day ice cream event. Naturally, then, the mischievous U.S. leader just had to grab his shutterbug Pete Souza for a stealthy snap. The little guy’s brother already looks kind of embarrassed, but we’re sure that’s nothing compared to how the slumbering boy felt when he woke up!