Harvest fuel from the forest

What can we substitute if we don't have one of the required materials like gloves, a bag, or cardboard?

If you don't have work gloves use sturdy gardening gloves or thick socks on hands, if you lack a bag use a cloth tote or pocket to carry collected twigs/leaves/pinecones, and if you can't 'Lay the cardboard flat as your clean work surface' use a clean flat rock, picnic plate, or tarp instead.

What should we do if the twigs or leaves are damp, or the bag rips while collecting?

If twigs or leaves are damp, search under sheltered spots like inside fallen branches or dry them later on the 'Lay the cardboard flat as your clean work surface', and if the bag rips immediately empty items onto the cardboard and ask the adult to replace the bag before you 'Arrange the twigs into a small neat bundle'.

How can we adapt this activity for different ages?

For toddlers let them pick a single 'fallen dry twig' or 'fallen dry leaf' while an adult carries the bag and performs 'Ask your adult to inspect', and for older kids have them count, sort by size, measure each piece, or build a tighter, more compact bundle when they 'Arrange the twigs into a small neat bundle'.

How can we extend or personalize the finished fuel bundle activity?

Have the child label or decorate the cardboard, add a strip of bark or extra pinecones between twigs for a different texture, test the bundle's compactness by gently squeezing it on the cardboard, then photograph the finished compact fuel bundle and write a short note for DIY.org about what they collected.