Learning Resources FAQ: What We Actually Do (And What We Don't)

I'm the office administrator for a small K-8 school—about 400 students and 35 staff. I've been ordering Learning Resources products for eight years, and our annual supply budget across all vendors is around $60,000. Not a huge spend, but enough that I've learned which items actually make it out of the closet and which gather dust. I report to the principal and the business manager, so I see both the classroom side and the budget side.

People search some pretty specific things before they land on classroom supply sites. A few of those searches—child support calculator, mulch calculator, how to get my printer online—have nothing to do with classroom materials. I'll answer those honestly too. If you're looking for school education learning resources, this FAQ is a good starting point.

Quick Answers to the Questions We Actually Get

1. What does Learning Resources actually make?

Learning Resources is a company that creates hands-on classroom materials. That includes math manipulatives like MathLink Cubes and algebra tiles, STEM kits, pretend & play sets, student calculators, measuring tools, pattern blocks, and classroom whiteboards. The company has been doing this for more than 40 years, according to Learning Resources' company history page (learningresources.com). The focus is on physical tools that make abstract ideas visible.

As a buyer, I like that the catalog is deep but focused. I can order a full classroom set of algebra tiles for a middle school math teacher or a single cash register for a kindergarten center. I don't expect Learning Resources to stock printer ink, art easels, or office furniture. That's not the company's lane, and I prefer specialists that way.

2. Are you the best resources for learning unique art methods?

If you searched for best resources for learning unique art methods, I can see why a learning resources site might show up. We carry pattern blocks, gears, sorting sets, and other tactile tools that teachers use for symmetry, pattern, and texture work. Those lessons often look and feel like art.

But I'm not an art teacher or a curriculum specialist. I can't tell you which program truly delivers unique art methods, especially if that means painting techniques, mixed media, or expressive process art. That's beyond my lane. When a vendor says this isn't our strength and points me to someone who knows more, I trust that vendor more, not less. Same logic applies here.

3. Do you have a child support calculator? Or a mulch calculator?

No, and no. But I get why people land here. Learning Resources makes calculators for classrooms. The Primary Calculator is a durable little model for elementary students, with the basic functions you need for early math practice.

A child support calculator is a legal or financial tool, not an educational manipulative. A mulch calculator is a landscaping tool. I'm not a family law attorney, and I'm not a landscape contractor, so I won't pretend to advise on either. What I can tell you is that a classroom set of 10 student calculators generally runs $40 to $65 in education supply catalogs (based on publicly listed education supply catalog prices, January 2025; verify current rates). That's the calculator territory I know.

4. Can you help me get my printer online?

This is another search that apparently sends people to education resources. Short answer: no. I can't troubleshoot Wi-Fi or printer drivers. I once spent an entire morning trying to connect a classroom printer, only to find the USB cable wasn't plugged in. Not my best day.

If you need printer help, check the manufacturer's support site or call your IT person. What I can do is recommend classroom supplies that don't require a printer at all. Dry-erase whiteboards, magnetic manipulatives, and STEM kits with physical pieces all skip the printing step. Sometimes the low-tech option is the practical one.

5. What should I know before buying a STEM classroom bundle?

Read the exact item counts. I learned this the hard way. I once assumed that all STEM classroom bundle listings included the same number of manipulatives. Didn't verify. Turned out one bundle had enough coding pieces for a center station, another had enough for a full small-group rotation. Prices were similar; the actual classroom value was not.

When you read STEM classroom bundle reviews, look for what's inside the box, not just the total price. Check how many of each piece are included, whether activity cards come with it, and if replacement parts are available separately. The right bundle depends on your class size and how you plan to use it.

6. Full Pretend & Play school set or individual pieces—which is better?

I went back and forth on this one for our preschool wing. The full Pretend & Play school set is a great value. You get a cash register, shopping lists, play money, a wipe-off board, and enough pieces to keep a whole center busy. It also takes up real shelf space, and the small pieces can walk off if you don't have a storage plan.

If you run a small program or a homeschool room with tight storage, individual pieces might be smarter. You can start with a cash register and add pieces as your center grows. For our school, the full set was the right call because we have a dedicated pretend-play area. But if you're weighing value versus space, choose based on your storage, not just the item count.

7. Do Learning Resources products work for homeschool parents, not just schools?

Yes, but I can only speak to the school side directly. Our purchases go through purchase orders, quotes, and district vendors. A parent buying for a home classroom goes through a different channel. The product quality is the same, but the packaging and pricing may differ.

My advice for homeschool buyers: look for the single-student or center versions instead of the classroom-size sets. A set of six measuring tapes makes sense for a small group of school kids; it's overkill for one or two children. And remember, this advice is based on our school context. A large district with a central curriculum office will make different choices than a small private school like ours.

8. What do you wish you knew before ordering classroom supplies?

Order extra common pieces at the beginning. Looking back, I should have added a few extra cubes, coins, and small parts to our first big Learning Resources order. At the time, I watched the budget closely and didn't want to spend on pieces that weren't on a teacher's list. Then the requests started: can we get another cube, we lost the pennies, one more spinner. Replacement orders later cost more and took more admin time than adding a spare set upfront would have.

The other thing I learned is to verify invoicing before committing to any vendor. One supplier gave us a handwritten receipt, and our finance team rejected the $2,400 reimbursement. A vendor that provides clean invoices is worth a lot. That's part of why I'm comfortable ordering from Learning Resources: the process is straightforward, which makes my job easier.