About Hikeabilities
Hikeabilities OT is an outdoor pediatric occupational therapy program in the Philadelphia area that provides children of all abilities an opportunity to access and participate in hiking and outdoor exploration through development of sensory, motor, social-emotional, and executive functioning skills.
The Programs
Mini Adventure Series
Fall 2025
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The Mini Series is a FREE introduction to outdoor occupational therapy. Sessions will be provided in a small group format. Children will work on various skills through engagement in outdoor play and hiking. Parent/caregivers will receive education on how to support their child build independence in these skills.
Group Adventure Sessions
2026
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Group sessions will be multi-weekend sessions led by an occupational therapist. Children will work on various skills through engagement in outdoor play and hiking.
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Stay tuned for more info!
Individual Services
Currently, Hikeabilities does not offer individual therapy sessions.
Hikeabilities intends to help build skills including self-confidence, foster socialization, encourage sensory exploration, develop motor skills, increase body awareness, and improve overall health and well-being, while also taking time away from the screen! Hikeabilities utilizes a strengths-based approach, aims to meet your child where they are, and provides treatment using the 'just-right' challenge in order to foster confidence, growth, and independence.
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The programs will take place at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, located at 8480 Hagy's Mill Road, Philadelphia, PA 19128.
Fall Mini Series: Process
Step 1: Sign Up
Complete and submit form to sign up. You will then be contacted by Hikeabilities within 24 hours.
You and your child will arrive at the Schulkill Center on the date and time of their session. You will receive additional details prior to the start of the program.
Step 3: Session
Step 2: Right Fit
If needed, a brief call may be scheduled to further determine if your child may be a good fit for this program.
Benefits of Outdoor Therapy & Hiking
Hikeabilities aims to encourage outdoor exploration, with an emphasis on hiking. Hiking is a cost-effective leisure activity that encourages physical activity while reaping in the additional benefits that nature provides. Outdoor therapy uses the natural environment as a facilitator during the therapeutic process. Research shows that engagement in nature promotes enhanced well-being, mental health, social connectedness, and improved cognitive, motor, and functional skills. Participation in therapy in the outdoors allows kids to learn and build skills in a setting that doesn't feel like therapy, it just feels like FUN
What Makes Hikeabilities Unique?
Outdoors
Hikeabilities takes place completely outdoors. Your child gets to ditch screen time to enjoy all that nature has to offer while engaging in therapeutic activities.
Hiking
While Hikeabilities is a nature-based therapy program, an emphasis is placed on hiking. Your child will build the skills necessary for tackling hiking trails of various difficulty levels based on their abilities.
OT
Hikeabilities is led by a licensed occupational therapist who will help your child build skills and provide education on strategies and supports in order to promote carry over of those skills across settings.
Socialization
When kids are cooped up indoors, this decreases their time spent socializing with others. Hikeabilities strives to help children build social-emotional connections with others.
Skills Targeted
Fine Motor
Fine motor skills help kids with the small but mighty tasks—like grasping a stick, tying a knot, or picking up rocks. Outdoor play naturally strengthens these muscles. Think of zipping a backpack, opening a water bottle, and collecting leaves. These activities boost hand strength, coordination, and precision all while simply hiking along a trail.
Gross motor skills support your child’s ability to explore, play, and navigate the world. Climbing over logs, jumping in puddles, balancing on rocks—these are nature’s ways of building strong, confident movers. Trails and outdoor spaces will be used as natural gyms that develop strength, balance, and coordination.
Gross Motor
Nature is the ultimate sensory playground. The rustle of leaves, the crunch of gravel, the scent of pine—all these sensory experiences help kids learn to process and respond to the world around them. Whether your child needs more calming input or more alerting sensations, the outdoors offers a rich, flexible environment to support sensory regulation in a gentle, engaging way.
Sensory Processing
Visual Motor Integration
Visual-motor integration helps kids match what they see with how they move. Nature is full of chances to practice—from marking a location on a map to placing a walking stick on sturdy ground. Even games like following a winding path or tracing patterns in the sand build skills for handwriting, sports, and more.
Social-Emotional
Nature helps children slow down, connect, and regulate. Outdoor play encourages turn-taking, sharing space, and working together—whether building forts, navigating trails, or spotting wild life. With the right support, these moments become stepping stones for emotional awareness, self-regulation, and friendship skills.
Executive Functioning
Executive functioning skills help kids plan, organize, and stay flexible—key for everything from getting dressed to tackling schoolwork. Outdoors, these skills come to life through adventure: figuring out how to read a map, remembering the rules of a nature scavenger hunt, or adapting when the trail gets muddy. Nature’s unpredictability becomes a powerful tool for growing mental flexibility and focus.
Who is Hikeabilities for?
Currently, Hikeabilities is for children ages 6-12 years old.
All abilities are welcome! Your child does not need a diagnosis in order to benefit from Hikeabilities. They may just show some delays in skill development and need some help working on those skills. However, children with diagnoses are welcome! Your child may or may not be receiving occupational therapy services currently. If they are, Hikeabilities may be a great addition to continue building on the skills they are working on, in an outdoor group setting.
These diagnoses include but are not limited to:
Autism
Developmental delay
ADHD
Motor skills challenges
Sensory processing differences
Social-emotional challenges
Executive functioning deficits
Still not sure if your child is the right fit?
Take a look at the questions below to get a better idea whether or not your child would benefit from participating in Hikeabilities.
Can you answer YES to any of the following? If so, Hikeabilities MAY be a good fit for your child.​
Does your child have difficulty regulating emotional or sensory responses?
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Is your child looking to gain confidence in new skills or in social interactions?
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Does your child need help learning how to play cooperatively with peers?
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Does your child show delays in development of motor skills?
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Does your child need help learning how to plan, organize, or problem solve?
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Does your child have trouble focusing or attending to tasks?
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Is your child addicted to screen time or do they not spend enough time outdoors?
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Or maybe they love playing outside and learn best in an outdoor environment?
Can you answer YES to any of the following? If so, Hikeabilities MAY NOT be a good fit for your child.​
​​Is your child at risk of elopement from the area? Do they easily run away from a designated place when they are distracted or dysregulated?
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Does your child require 1:1 assistance? Our groups have a low ratio of adult-to-child, but there will not be an adult directly with any child at all times, but rather they will be within reach.
Is your child at risk of harming themselves or others when dysregulated or for any other reason?