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Obamas Pay Final Visit To Swing Set They Donated To D.C. Shelter

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

The peaceful transition of power from Obama to Trump apparently does not include swing sets. Malia and Sasha's castle, a large wooden playground structure complete with a slide, rope ladder and swings, was a fixture outside the Oval Office for the past eight years.

KELLY MCEVERS, HOST:

The playset is now a fixture at a Washington, D.C., shelter for needy families. Yesterday the president and first lady had one more chance to play.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: What's going on, guys? How you doing?

SIEGEL: The Obamas visited the Jobs Have Priority Naylor Road Program, the structure's new home.

MCEVERS: The castle was built in 2009 for the two Obama daughters. It gave the president a chance to watch his children play while he worked. The outgoing Obamas offered the playset to the incoming Trumps, but the Trumps declined.

SIEGEL: And while Sasha and Malia are way past playground age these days, the president had no problem jumping back into his role as swing teacher in chief.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

OBAMA: Keep your legs - pull your legs up. When you go out, you pull your legs up. (Inaudible) There you go. That's the move right here.

MCEVERS: One more wistful moment for the Obamas in a week and month full of them.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

OBAMA: I know. It brings back memories.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Don't forget the other one.

OBAMA: Don't worry. She's got it. She's got it. She's got good momentum.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Pump those legs, girl.

OBAMA: Pump those legs.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCADE FIRE SONG, "HAITI") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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