Free Ocean Adventure Sensory Play Guide - Chia Seed Tray

This free setup guide gives you everything you need to recreate the blue chia seed ocean tray at home or in your early years setting.

Inside you’ll find a complete materials list, step-by-step setup instructions, and language prompts specifically designed for children learning English as an additional language — so you know exactly what to say while they play, not just what to put in the tray.

This guide includes:

• Full materials list with quantities and prep instructions

• Step-by-step setup guide (prep the night before — it’s easier than it looks)

• Language prompts for naming, describing, and exploring — written for natural conversation, not scripted teaching

• A specific section for bilingual and EAL families

• What to watch for — the signs that learning is happening even when it looks like pure play

• Extension ideas for home, classroom, and next steps

Suitable for: 12 months and up · Home and early years settings · Native English and EAL/bilingual families

Set-up time: 10 minutes (plus overnight chia prep)

The Learning Nest is a British early years centre in Bucharest, Romania, offering play-based English learning for little ones. All resources are created from real sessions with real children.

This is the first in the Ocean Adventure Sensory Play Guide series. 🌊