South Shore, Massachusetts After School Programs
After School Programs
At EXPLORE Pediatric Therapy, we believe that children thrive when they are encouraged to take healthy risks, engage in imaginative and explorative play, and build lasting social connections. Our Forest Adventure Groups for Derby Academy students are designed to do just that — while fostering emotional resilience, problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and teamwork.
The Power of Outdoor Learning
Children today are spending more time indoors than ever before, and studies have shown rising rates of anxiety, depression, and social isolation among youth. Our mission is simple — to help reverse this trend by getting children outdoors, connecting with nature, and building relationships through shared experiences.
Spending time immersed in nature has countless benefits, including:
Reduced stress and lower anxiety levels
Improved mood and emotional well-being
Boosted immune system
Better focus and attention restoration
Increased confidence through healthy risk-taking and skill-building
What Your Child Will Gain
Through weekly outdoor adventures, your child will:
Develop problem-solving and teamwork skills
Improve social communication and cooperation
Build confidence in navigating challenges
Strengthen emotional resilience
Experience the joy and health benefits of nature
Program Overview
Our Forest Adventure Group is a screen-free, all-weather program designed to keep kids active, engaged, and learning in the great outdoors. Each session is led by skilled Occupational Therapists and supported by group assistants to ensure safety and guidance, while still giving children the freedom to explore and lead their own adventures.
After School Programs REGISTRATION
These groups help to support healthy risk taking, imaginative or explorative play, emotional resilience, problem solving, communication skills and team building skills. Additionally, there are countless benefits from spending immersed time in nature that include decreased stress, lower levels of anxiety, improved immune system and attention restoration.
The youth of America have some of the highest rates of anxiety, depression and isolation than ever seen before. Our mission here at EXPLORE Pediatric Therapy is to combat these diagnoses by getting children back outdoors together.
Details – This group will meet every Friday on the early release day throughout the school year.
*New – Rose L MacDonald School in West Bridgewater, MA
Meet Our Team
Meet Our Team
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do the groups meet?
1 time per week for 90 minutes. This is a drop off model.
Do you ever have group closures?
We follow the public school calendar for closures. So, if the town school district is off for a holiday or vacation, we are too. We do not close
our services at any additional points throughout the school year.
How long do your services run?
Our groups begin the 2nd week of September when the new school year starts and run until mid-June when school gets out for summer.
How do I know if my child is a good fit for the group?
Your child should be able to function in a larger group setting without 1:1 support. These groups are designed to help build confidence, independence, grit and resilience. Also, your child cannot be a“flight risk”in this setting due to the child: adult ratio.
How many OT ’ s are in your group and how many child are in each group?
Each group has 1 Occupational Therapist in it. All of our groups have 1-2 Group Assistants, as well.
How should I dress my child for your group?
Proper gear is the most important aspect to your child’s success in nature. Waterproof shoes, layers of clothing when the seasons change, and durable clothing that allows your child to move freely are best. We provide guidance on this as each season changes.
Do you still go outdoors in the winter when it is dark from 4 - 5:30 pm?
Yes! We do not shy away from the darkness. We offer headlamps, lanterns, and flashlights to group participants.
What is your weather policy? Do you ever cancel due to severe weather conditions?
It is always parental choice for the type of weather they will send their child in. We rarely cancel group! The extreme weather we consider for canceling a group is high winds since our groups take place in wooded areas; anything over 35 mph gusts are too risky. Regarding the cold temperatures in the winter,if it feels like 00 degrees or colder, we will either shorten the group to 60 minutes instead of 90 minutes, or in extremely cold temperatures we do not conduct group outdoors. As an alternative option, your child is welcome to join us at any of our other site locations for a make up session at any point throughout the school year.
What will my child gain from this experience?
Our Forest Adventure Groups are a healthy after school option for children throughout the South Shore community. These are best for ages 7-12 years old. Kids need several hours of unstructured physical playdaily to adequately stimulate and integrate sensory pathways.Since our groups arescreen free, children can disconnect from technology, and re-engage their senses properly. This helps prevent anxiety, depression, burn out, social isolation and inattention like behaviors.