Grow and Bake (Winter Holiday): Bonus Gift

🌟 The 31-Day Winter Grow & Bake Adventure 🌟

Time to start a Winter Adventure! Here is a 31 day calendar designed to get you growing, baking, playing, while waiting for your mint plant to grow. Complete one activity each day, track your progress with DIY Badges of the Day until you are a verified Winter Garden Adventurer!

🏅 Day 1: Prepare Your Adventure Journal

Activity: Create a Winter Adventure Journal to track your progress. Each time you complete an activity, design your own **Badge of Completion** to document your success as a Winter Adventurer!
Badge: "Adventure Starter" Badge.

🌱 Kit Start & Creative Play (Days 2 - 10)

Day	Activity Prompt	Badge Idea
2	Planting Day: Set up your Mint Garden Kit and plant the seeds. Follow the directions carefully!	"Gardening Starter" Badge.
3	Card Game Challenge: Gather family and friends and enjoy a round of your Grow and Bake Card Game. Good luck!	"Gamer" Badge.
4	Nature Scavenger Hunt: Go outside (or look in a house plant!) and find three natural textures (e.g., rough bark, smooth rock, pointy leaf). Use them as inspiration for an art piece.	"Nature Explorer" Badge.
5	Winter Storytime: Snuggle up and read a winter or nature-themed story with family.	"Storyteller" Badge.
6	Homemade Bird Feeder: Make a simple bird feeder using a pinecone, peanut butter (or alternative), and birdseed. Hang it outside on a tree or patio!	"Bird Friend" Badge.
7	Plant Growth Diary: Start a diary to track the growth of your mint. Measure the soil, write down the date, and make a quick sketch.	"Diary Keeper" Badge.
8	Mint Flavor Research: Research and write down three fun historical facts or health benefits of mint or peppermint. Share them with your family!	"Mint Detective" Badge.
9	Winter Craft: Create a simple winter-themed craft, like a paper snowflake chain or a paper snowperson.	"Crafty" Badge.
10	Indoor Picnic: Have an indoor picnic with fun winter-themed snacks. Maybe even bake a simple snack together!	"Picnic Planner" Badge.

🔬 STEAM, Observation & Baking (Days 11 - 20)

Day	Activity Prompt	Badge Idea
11	Plant Fun Facts: Learn and share three fun facts about plants in general—like how they make food or what they need to grow.	"Plant Scientist" Badge.
12	Family Game Night: Play board games or card games as a family. Try a new game or an old favorite!	"Game Master" Badge.
13	Winter Walk Observation: Take a walk to observe changes in nature. Look closely at the ground and the colors you see, or listen for different sounds.	"Winter Walker" Badge.
14	Winter Baking Design: Choose a recipe from your kit's activity book. Draw or write out a new, creative way to decorate the final baked treat.	"Recipe Designer" Badge.
15	Plant Quiz Challenge: Create a short 5-question quiz about different plants (like flowers, herbs, or veggies). Challenge your friend or family to see what they know.	"Quiz Whiz" Badge.
16	Family Baking Day: Bake winter-themed cookies or treats. Use one of the recipes that came with your kit!	"Baker" Badge.
17	Garden Songs: Create a fun, simple, garden-themed song or chant for winter. Sing it for your family!	"Winter Singer" Badge.
18	Build an Indoor Sculpture: Use craft materials (socks, cotton balls, blocks, or clay) to create an indoor snow-person or winter scene sculpture.	"Sculptor" Badge.
19	Water Transport Experiment: Put the base of a stalk of celery (or a white flower) into a glass of water dyed with food coloring. Check on it tomorrow to see what happened!	"Lab Assistant" Badge.
20	Family Photos: Take family photos in fun winter settings, either indoors or outside. Try to include your mint garden in one shot!	"Photographer" Badge.

🥦 Nutrition, Skills & Final Fun (Days 21 - 31)

Day	Activity Prompt	Badge Idea
21	The Plant Part Hunt: Look through your pantry and fridge. Find one food that is a root (like a potato), one that is a flower (like broccoli), and one that is a leaf (like cabbage).	"Food Explorer" Badge.
22	Cookie Cutter Craft: Use your kitchen cookie cutters and playdough, clay, or a slice of bread/cheese to stamp out fun winter-themed shapes.	"Shape Creator" Badge.
23	Plan a Winter Menu: Use the recipes in your kit and plan a complete menu for a special dinner, including a main dish, a side, and a dessert. Draw the place setting!	"Chef Planner" Badge.
24	Seed Sorting Challenge: Gather seeds from different sources (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.) and sort them into piles based on size, color, or shape.	"Sorting Master" Badge.
25	Five Senses Walk: Go for a walk. Write down one thing you see, one thing you can hear, one thing you can smell, and one texture you can touch. (Don't taste anything!)	"Sense Finder" Badge.
26	"Still Life" Nature Drawing: Find a pretty natural item (a flower, pinecone, or leaf) and set it on a table. Try to draw exactly what you see, focusing on details and shadows.	"Still Life Artist" Badge.
27	Water Experiment Observation: Check on the celery/flower you put in the dyed water on Day 19. Observe and draw what happened to the stalk/petals. Write down why you think that happened.	"Scientist" Badge.
28**	Try a New Topping: Choose a common food (like toast, oatmeal, or yogurt). Try adding a new, healthy topping (like a sprinkle of cinnamon, honey, or a different type of fruit). Write a short review.	"Taste Tester" Badge.
29	Shadow Tracing Art: If the sun is out, place a small potted plant (like your mint!) or a pinecone on white paper. Trace the outline of the shadow it casts.	"Shadow Sketcher" Badge.
30	Winter Kindness Challenge: Do one small act of kindness for a family member or neighbor today (e.g., make a hot drink, clean up a space, draw a picture).	"Kindness Champion" Badge.
31	Reflect & Celebrate: Look through your finished Adventure Journal! Choose your favorite badge/activity and share why it was the best part of your winter adventure!	"Adventure Achieved" Badge.