Our Story

Inspire a love of learning with Learning Resources®

Children need to play like they need to eat and sleep. Play is a fun, joy-filled part of childhood and is an essential ingredient in learning. Through play, children map out what they know about themselves and their world and test their understanding against the concepts they come across in real life.

There are so many ways children play, from pretend play to creative play, to object play and more. Each helps children learn as they grow. For over 35 years Learning Resources® has helped children love to learn about themselves and their world through hands-on discovery and play. We make toys that spark their imaginations, encourage exploration, and inspire discovery.

Learning Is Where We Play

We're the cash toy registers that help children learn to count. We're the alphabet puzzle blocks that inspire a love of reading. We're the coding mouse that schools use to prepare students for tomorrow. We are Learning Resources - Learning is where we play and our mission is to help children love to learn.

Why Learning Resources are the leaders in educational toys and games

Teachers across the globe use Learning Resources’ wide range of educational toys, games, and learning aids. Our resources offer hands-on, play-based aids children can use to actively engage with the concepts they’re learning in the classroom. These resources also support teacher assessments and offer intervention aids to help children build a secure understanding of concepts.

All our toys are manufactured to the highest standards and designed to be fun and easy to use from the moment they’re unboxed. With features including durable materials, eye-catching colours, and chunky features that are easy for little hands to use and enjoy, Learning Resources toys are ready for your child’s play adventures.

A great educational toy is one where children have so much fun playing, they don’t realise they’re learning. Designed for play, all our toys and games are created to be fun and engaging to use. We make toys that will capture your child’s attention, offer multiple ways to play and express their creativity, and challenge them to explore and learn while enjoying themselves.

Learning Resources’ toys and games are created in collaboration with learning and play experts to create joyful experiences that are fun and engaging. Whether your child is expressing their creativity through symbolic play, exploring real-world concepts through our guided play experiences, or delving into how the world works, you’ll find lots of fun ways to help them learn and grow.

Learning Resources® Inc was founded in 1984 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. 10 years later, in 1994, our learning journey began as Managing Director Dennis Blackmore founded Learning Resources Ltd. Located in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, our purpose was to serve the UK, European markets, the Middle East, Africa and India. Today, Learning Resources supplies over 1,000 products into over 80 countries.

What parents, teachers, and experts have to say…

“As a mum and a primary school teacher, I am a huge fan of Learning Resources toys. They encourage hands-on learning, promote the development of problem-solving skills, and most importantly make learning fun through games and practical activities.

I’ve been a teacher for over 20 years and have been using Learning Resources toys and equipment in my classroom for many years. I always know when I order products from Learning Resources that they will be good quality, durable and will withstand lots of play by many enthusiastic (and often heavy handed) children.”

- Sheila o'Reilly, @rascals_and_rainbows

“One of the greatest things we love about all the Learning Resources toys, games and activities is that they are all a fantastic way to learn, without kids even realising it.”

- Kaz Derbyshire, the3amdiary.com

“Learning when children are having fun creates a more relaxed situation for their brain to absorb and Learning Resources have the Best STEM based toys for little brains to thrive. Our children see the same products in their school, making it a familiar learning environment at home.”

- Rachael Little, @rach_mummy2_hugo_sofia_elliot

“Play helps children to nurture imagination and give a child a sense of adventure. Through this, they can learn essential skills such as problem solving, working with others, sharing and much more. Learning Resources are strong believers of learning through play, and their products always reflect this. Watching my sons face light up when playing with a Learning Resources toy is priceless.

Over the years, we have accumulated many Learning Resources products, and they are always fantastic quality, fun and engaging and both of my children use them every day both in play, and learning. Giving a child a gift that will inspire their imagination and boost their creativity is the most wonderful thing you can do as a parent, grandparent or friend.”

- Vici Catt, @homeschoolingtwoboys

“I love that Learning Resources allow you to search or view toys by age but also learning schema. This means that even if I'm not sure what type of toy to buy I'll be able to find the perfect gift for the child's age and development.”

- Jessica Turner, @wy_and_i

We’re the toy cash registers that help children learn to count. We’re the alphabet puzzle blocks that inspire a love of reading. We’re the coding mouse that schools use to prepare students for tomorrow. We are Learning Resources – Learning is where we play and our mission is to help children love to learn.

Over many years the company continued to grow and, in 2006, Learning Resources acquired Educational Insights, based in Los Angeles, California.

Our heritage and the trusted relationships we have built over the years are the cornerstone of our success, enabling us to continually evolve as our business continues to grow, meeting the needs of teachers, parents and other mentors.

For over 30 years we’ve been the leader in educational toys and games, with more than 1,000 products sold in over 80 countries. Our toys are designed to help children build key educational skills… and get ready to take on the world!

Our versatile products include play and learning activity sets, manipulatives and games that build foundational skills in all subject areas through exploration, creativity, imagination and fun. In addition, we offer simple technology products and teacher resources to support the delivery of education.

Our core values form the foundation of our unique culture, an integral part of who we are and what we do, they enable us to commit to developing products with:

Quality – We believe in creating a quality product that will enable a child to take ownership of their learning and succeed.

Passion – We have passion in what we do and the products we sell, enabling us to deliver a superior service and product offering.

Fun – In school, at home or in the workplace, we aim to inspire a life-long love of learning. Put simply, education can change a child’s life - we love learning and we hope you will too.

We're Learning Resources®, and we've been helping parents and teachers build generations of amazing kids for over 35 years. From ABCs and 123s to fine motor and STEM skills, our educational toys offer kids the building blocks they need to succeed in school and develop a lifelong love of learning. Discover countless ways to learn through play with our award-winning products.