The staff was really helpful in navigating the store in post COVID19 status and signing me up for…read morethe new Teachers club card

Fine, I'll admit it: I'm in love with Lakeshore Learning…read more I was first tipped off about this place by one of my baby's (okay, so she's two...not exactly a baby but whatever ;) therapists and to say it was love at first sight...that wouldn't come close to cutting it. I'm a mom of four (5, 4, 4, and 2) and my youngest three have developmental delays from mild to severe. While my husband and I have come up with some amazingly engaging/proactive activities for the kids thus far, we're always on the hunt for more, for better, for That One Item/Activity/Etc. We've Been Missing. Lakeshore Learning--much to the chagrin of my Visa card--has yet to disappoint. It's by no means exclusively a store for teachers; it's by no means exclusively a store for special needs parents. Sure, sensory items and activities abound...block play, active play, puzzles, and manipulatives in abundance--but this is just the tip of the iceberg. If you don't want to make the trip (although I don't know why you wouldn't!), hit up the website and request a catalog. It is huge, glossy, and enticing. Also? Lakeshore Learning offers up a pretty sweet check in deal for the mobile Yelping crowd. As *if* you needed more incentive to stop in, right? Riiiiiiight. :)

Writing as a former teacher and a true beginner this is not the place to start. It's very…read moreexpensive, sitting for 3 hours is hard and the place is far from being clean. I was told that all supplies were "included " nothing was said about paper for watercolor, $30.00 extra. I find it rude to be told that this or that brush is 80 or 100$ , why then give it to a beginner it only adds to the stress. The project became what he saw not what I saw. I was so tense and stressed out that I didn't go back for the last class! I feel taken advantage of and believe that a 70$ refund is more than fair. Classes for beginners should include how to hold a brush right from the beginning , paints used were not even given the correct names, etc, etc, ; class should be fun! They were Not!

I've been taking classes from Len for 2 years and I can't recommend it enough. When I saw the…read moreamazing work he gets out of his youngest (school age) students, I knew he would be an excellent instructor. I love this place, and the great sense of camaraderie among the students.

Thank you for opening this place. What a great idea to help recycle art supplies. I find it a great…read moreplace to pick up materials for my kids.

Wasteshed staff are friendly and helpful. They were glad to take the art supplies I brought in.read more

Whether traveling to pick up product in person or ordering on line it has always been an easy great…read moreexperience. In house the staff is extremely knowledgeable about their products and have advised me beyond my expectations. Devon and Mike are my favor people there for servicing my purchase needs. Have been using them for over 5 years and hopefully will continue using them until I retire my business.

I really appreciate the knowledgeable and friendly staff here who will always help and offer…read moreadvice. And they made it so easy to call in orders and pick them up throughout covid, but it's great seeing them in store now too.

Excellent resource to learn a beautiful skill. Glass is fairly priced, the classes are well…read morestructured and informative. I did the more involved class and was thankful I did. It encouraged me to continue with the hobby and grow in my small business.

An absolutely wonderful experience this morning with Melissa. Very helpful and never hovering but…read moreshe was always available for questions. My supplier of choice! Frank and Linda

I'm 60, a painter with a BFA from SAIC, have been an artist for 40+ years. I came to this store to…read morere-up my entire palette of Golden fluid acrylics and maybe pick up some of the new OPEN acrylics while I was at it. We were first stopped just inside the door by one friendly associate who welcomed/greeted us and recited a long menu of store specials and their back to school sale, and if we need help she's right over there at the counter for us. We were like, ok, got it, thanks! I knew what I needed and just wanted to see the colors I was buying in person, so I start shopping. Less than a minute later here's another associate, another WELCOME here's ALL our sales and our BACK TO SCHOOL SALE and if you need ANYTHING we're right over HERE by the counter! Okay, I said, thank you, that's great. I smiled and again I tried to start shopping. Another thirty seconds and here's another associate who gives me, AGAIN, the welcome/sales sales sales/we're over HERE by the cash register if you need anything! (Where ELSE am I going to go look for assistance? The deli next door at Whole Foods?) Unable to concentrate on selecting my paints, I went to give my husband the three things I had managed to pick up and was stopped by another associate who gave us both the same sales speech AGAIN. It was as though the entire shift was actively preventing me from finding the materials I was there, cash in pocket, struggling to buy. Yes, I did start getting terse and snippy when I was just repeatedly approached with the very same canned spam sales pitch by multiple ridiculously aggressive associates, because it was incredibly annoying. Maybe they thought I was shoplifting? One associate who had already given us the sales speech and apparently taken offense at my manner then approached me when I was by myself (of course) still trying to look at the Goldens. In a voice dripping with contempt, they slowly and deliberately gave me the same speech yet again. That's not creepy or confrontational, is it. Refusing to make eye contact with them, I squinted at the tube in my hands and said again, great, thanks, got it. We were in the store for maybe five minutes, seriously, for all of that. The contemptuous confrontational person came to the door while I was outside waiting for my husband, and stood with phone in hand, watching me with a little smile, seemingly texting. So on top of all that I'm sure I'm the new Karen on some sad social media site somewhere. And then we drove to the Schaumburg Blick, which is awesome with associates who are allowed to speak normally to customers and let them shop, and I bought all the rest of my paint there.

Still a great store, but uh. Guys, update your voicemail! "As we head into Covid lockdown..." Not…read moretimely!