Month: September 2025

Banana Oat Pancakes

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Vocabulary

Picky –

Toddler –

Banana –

Oat –

Shoveled in –

A Toddler Favorite

These banana oat pancakes are great for a picky toddler. Many toddlers spit out veggies but pasta gets shoveled in. But all toddlers love these pancakes!

Ingredients

  • 1 banana 
  • 1 egg 
  • ⅓ cup rolled or quick cooking oats
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract 
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil

Optional additions:

  • 1 tablespoon flax seed meal
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter, almond butter, or other nut butter 
  • ¼ cup fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries, chopped strawberries, or chopped mango 

InstructionsThe above version has just nut butter and flaxseed meal added.

In a medium bowl, mash the banana with a fork. Crack the egg into the bowl, and beat it together with the banana.

Stir in the oats, vanilla, and cinnamon.

At this point, you can stir in any add-ins, like flaxseed meal, nut butter, and fruit. 

The above version has just nut butter and flaxseed meal added.

And here’s a version with blueberries!

Heat a pan over medium heat, and add the oil. Put the batter into the hot pan (I like to make small pancakes), and cook for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown.

Enjoy!!!!

Source – https://thewoksoflife.com/banana-oat-pancakes/

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Fall Activities in NYC

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The heat and humidity of summer is slowly fading into fall’s crisp, cool air & the beautiful, vibrant colors of autumn in and around New York City.

As fall approaches, here are some fun suggestions for things to see and do in New York.

Check out the fall foliage  🍂 🍁 in Central Park

Stroll through Central Park. The Ramble, Bethesda Terrace, and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir offer beautiful views of the fall foliage. 

Central Park Fall Foliage: https://www.centralparknyc.org/activities/guides/where-to-find-fall-foliage-in-central-park

Central Park Conservancy: https://www.centralparknyc.org/

Attend the West Village Halloween Parade: 🎃 👻

Don’t miss this iconic and incredibly spooky parade in Greenwich Village. You can watch from the sidelines or even join in the costumed fun! 

Village Halloween Parade: https://halloween-nyc.com/

Explore the High Line: 🌇

This elevated park offers unique perspectives of the city skyline- it’s a fantastic spot for a leisurely walk and some urban fall foliage.

Friends of the High Line: https://www.thehighline.org/

Celebrate Oktoberfest: 🍻 🍺

Many beer halls and venues across the city host Oktoberfest celebrations with German food 🥨, beer, and lively music. Grab your lederhosen and join in the fun!

German-American Steuben Parade New York: https://germanparadenyc.org/oktoberfest/ 

Catch a Broadway Show:

Come join Alexander Hamilton, Simba, and Galinda 🧙🏻 & Elphaba in all the fun! Fall marks the beginning of the new Broadway season, making it a great time to see a new production or a classic favorite. 

Broadway.com: (A comprehensive site for tickets and information on Broadway shows): https://www.broadway.com/

Are you an athlete – or do you know one? Watch-  or, if you’re feeling energetic, run – the New York City Marathon. 🏃‍♂️ 🏃🏼‍♀️ 🏃🏽‍♂️ Sunday, November 2nd

NYC Marathon: https://www.nyrr.org/tcsnycmarathon

Go Apple or Pumpkin Picking (outside the city): 🍎 While not in NYC itself, a short trip to the Hudson Valley or Long Island allows for classic, fun fall activities like apple and pumpkin picking at local farms. Many offer hayrides, corn mazes, and fresh cider donuts. 

Masker Orchards (Hudson Valley): https://www.maskers.com/

Apple Ridge Orchards (Hudson Valley): https://appleridgeorchards.com/pick-your-own-apples/

Attend the New York City Wine & Food Festival: 🍽️

For foodies, this annual festival in October brings together renowned chefs and culinary experiences, offering tastings, cooking demonstrations, and more.

NYC Food & Wine: https://www.glwd.org/events/new-york-city-wine-and-food-festival-nycwff/

Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (or its balloon inflation):

Experiencing the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade firsthand is an unforgettable experience.

Come see Santa 🎅🏻 and the giant turkey 🦃 !

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: https://www.macys.com/s/parade/

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LABOR DAY, AMERICAN STYLE.

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It’s Labor Day!

The first Monday in September is Labor Day in the USA.  Unlike many US holidays, it is a celebration without rituals – except for shopping and barbecuing. For most of us, it marks the last weekend of summer holidays and the start of the school year.

Ritual – n., an established form for a ceremony or observance

Founder – n., someone who takes the first steps in building something

Envision – v., to imagine, to picture to oneself

Means – n., things that are useful or help to achieve a desired end

Unify – v., to make different things into one unit

Reduction – n., to make something smaller, to decrease

Recall – v., to remember

Struggle – n, the act of working hard or fighting for something

Maypole — n., a tall pole decorated with flowers and ribbons

The holiday’s founders in the late 19th century envisioned something very different from what the day has become. The founders were looking for two things: a means of unifying union workers and a reduction in work time.

  • If you’re living in the USA, don’t confuse this day with May 1st, (May Day), which is International Workers’ Day.

This day is celebrated in over 160 countries to recall the struggles and achievements of the labor movement. 

In France, people carry and give lilies-of-the-valley. Many countries, such as Italy and Nicaragua, celebrate with dances around a Maypole.

 

In America, Labor Day is less political and more about fun.

See you in class very soon! And:

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