Our Story

The Learning House is a family owned business that has been providing quality educational resources to families, homeschools, and schools across Canada since 1994. 

Our more than 10,000 in-stock titles from over 150 resource providers are housed in a 7300 sq ft storefront in Bradford, Ontario and are mailed across the country and around the world but our roots start with a couple of product lines, some much sought after Canadian content, and two families that love home learning.

In 1990, Harold and Louise House began their home education journey with their four children.  With a passion for excellent resources they had the unexpected privilege and blessing of teaching three children with learning challenges.  By 1994, the Houses felt called to make this passion a ministry and they began The Learning House. Louise relentlessly sought out the best resources for struggling learners and along the way developed a significant ministry to encourage and equip families with similar challenges as well as homeschooling families of all walks.

In 2003, The Learning House was incorporated and over the years grew from a small start-up in a basement representing one product line through several different storefront locations to the bustling homeschool hub that it is now.

In 2003, the Deans decided to homeschool their oldest daughter through kindergarten “just for now” to see how it went because they were feeling the challenges of parenting little ones while also being foster parents to some spunky teens. 

By 2008, before the arrival of their fourth daughter, the Deans took over Maple Tree Publications which was launched by Cyndy Regeling in 1998 with the publication of Come Sit by Me and which had grown to a nationally recognized homeschool publishing company providing over a dozen sought after Canadian resources to families across the country. 

Over the next 12 years, the Deans saw their family and Maple Tree grow. By 2020, they had graduated their two oldest children and Maple Tree was serving countless Canadian homeschoolers with a Charlotte Mason flare as both a publishing house and a retail store. 

By 2020, after many years of serving the same niche, the Houses and Deans had grown a deep friendship founded on their mutual passion for walking along side families as they seek to raise and educate their children well. 

So, on November 1, 2020, the Deans became the official owners of The Learning House and amalgamated it with Maple Tree Publications.  While Louise is still very active in curriculum consultations and other duties around the store, she and Harold are now focused on spending more hours enjoying as much time as they can with their grandchildren.

The Learning House continues to build it’s inventory of exceptional resources for homeschooling families while Louise and Cori continue to enjoy meeting with homeschooling parents to encourage and equip them.  Whether it is through free consultations, speaking and connecting at conferences across the country, or by online or in-person seminars, forums, and Q&As, they are always thrilled by the opportunity to come along side parents as they seek to educate their children well.

Our passion is to see families strengthened and we remain committed to helping you build your learning house on the solid rock of Jesus Christ.  May the Lord grant you continued strength as you seek to honour Him in your teaching and home experience. May your hearts be turned towards Him to hear His voice and learn the lessons He has for you. God bless you as you teach.