Learning Without Tears
The company behind Handwriting Without Tears, renamed in 2018. It now sells a pre-K to grade 6 literacy line: Handwriting Without Tears, Get Set for School for ages 3–5, Keyboarding Without Tears for K–5, Building Writers, and a K–3 phonics program.
What is Learning Without Tears?
Learning Without Tears is an education publisher that started as Handwriting Without Tears. Occupational therapist Jan Olsen created the first materials in 1977 for her son. The handwriting program grew into a K–5 curriculum, then the company added a pre-K program and a keyboarding program. In 2018 it rebranded as Learning Without Tears to unite them.
Today the company calls itself a literacy partner for schools, covering readiness, handwriting, phonics and writing. It says more than 31 million children have used its programs.
If you only need handwriting, go straight to our Handwriting Without Tears review. This page covers the whole company and its other programs.
How it works
Every program follows the same developmental idea: start with simple shapes and hands-on play, then move to paper or a keyboard in small steps. Lessons are short, usually 10 to 15 minutes.
- Print programs use workbooks, a teacher's guide and optional manipulatives like Wood Pieces and a slate chalkboard.
- Keyboarding Without Tears runs in a web browser. Kids log in, play short games with color-coded keys and move at their own pace. Each grade has its own content.
- Get Set for School is play-based and built around hands-on readiness activities and the Mat Man character.
What it covers
| Program | Grades | What it teaches |
|---|---|---|
| Get Set for School | Preschool to TK, ages 3–5 | Fine motor, readiness, early letters, phonological awareness |
| Handwriting Without Tears | TK to 6 | Print (TK–2) and vertical cursive (2–6) |
| Keyboarding Without Tears | K to 5 | Mouse skills, finger placement, typing, digital citizenship |
| Building Writers: Cornerstones | K to 3 | Sentence building and grammar in context |
| Building Writers | K to 5 | Handwriting practice and genre writing |
| Phonics, Reading, and Me | K to 3 | Phonics lessons and decodable readers |
Who it's best for
Families who like the Handwriting Without Tears approach and want matching pre-K or typing materials will find it all in one place. It also suits kids working with an OT.
It's less ideal for older students. Keyboarding Without Tears ends at 5th grade, so middle schoolers should use Typing.com or TypingClub, both free with ads.
Pricing at a glance
As of October 2026, Keyboarding Without Tears costs $11 per student per year, and 2025 Handwriting Without Tears workbooks for K and 1st grade are $13.50 each on the official store. Teacher's guides and kits cost more, and schools get quotes.
Can a scholarship or ESA pay for it?
Workbooks and software licenses are the kind of curriculum many education savings accounts allow, as described on our Arizona ESA page and Florida scholarship page. Each program decides what qualifies. Save Learning Without Tears products to your wishlist and apply once through scholarships for families.
How it compares
For handwriting, the main rival is Zaner-Bloser Handwriting, with slanted cursive; see Handwriting Without Tears vs Zaner-Bloser. For typing, TypingClub and Typing.com are free, and Typesy is a paid option that runs past 5th grade. For early phonics, compare Heggerty. Browse handwriting programs, typing programs and early learning programs.
Who Learning Without Tears is for (and who it isn’t)
Best for
- Families who want handwriting, pre-K readiness and keyboarding from one publisher
- Preschoolers using Get Set for School and Mat Man
- K–5 students who want game-based typing with grade-specific content
- Kids working with an occupational therapist
Look elsewhere if
- Middle and high schoolers who need typing (Keyboarding stops at grade 5)
- Families who want free typing software
- Parents who want one boxed, all-subject homeschool curriculum
Learning Without Tears pros and cons
Pros
- Coherent, developmental approach across pre-K to grade 5
- Created by an occupational therapist; widely used by OTs
- Low per-student cost for workbooks and keyboarding
- Free worksheet maker in the HWT font
Cons
- Products and guides are written mainly for schools
- Keyboarding licenses expire yearly and are per child, per grade
- No dedicated homeschool page on the main site
- Phonics and Building Writers are newer and have less public homeschool feedback
What’s included
- Handwriting Without Tears print and cursive curriculum (TK–6)
- Get Set for School pre-K readiness and writing program (ages 3–5)
- Keyboarding Without Tears web-based typing for K–5, sold as yearly student licenses
- Building Writers and Building Writers: Cornerstones for K–5 sentence and genre writing
- Phonics, Reading, and Me phonics curriculum and decodables for K–3
- Free A+ Worksheet Maker Lite and family buying guide
How much does Learning Without Tears cost?
As of October 2026, the official store at shopping.lwtears.com lists Keyboarding Without Tears at $11.00 for a one-year student license at each grade checked (3rd, 4th and 5th), and Handwriting Without Tears 2025 student workbooks for kindergarten and 1st grade at $13.50 each. Schools and districts request quotes; the company advertises keyboarding licenses from $3.21 for school buyers. Get Set for School, Building Writers and phonics materials are priced individually in the store.
| Plan | Price | Billed | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keyboarding Without Tears, 1-year student license | $11/yr | Yearly | $0.92/mo |
| Handwriting Without Tears student workbook (2025, K or 1st) | $13.50 | One-time | — |
Free trial: Keyboarding Without Tears has free sample lessons for K–2 and 3–5 on the official demo page; there is no free full version.
Prices from the provider, checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site.
Future opening updates
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Learning Without Tears FAQs
Is Learning Without Tears the same as Handwriting Without Tears?
Learning Without Tears is the company; Handwriting Without Tears is its handwriting program. The company used the Handwriting Without Tears name until 2018, when it rebranded to cover its handwriting, pre-K and keyboarding programs. The handwriting curriculum still uses its original name.
Who founded Learning Without Tears?
Occupational therapist Jan Olsen started the program in 1977 to help her son with handwriting. Her strategies became a therapist's guide, then a K–5 curriculum, and later the pre-K and keyboarding programs.
How much is Keyboarding Without Tears?
As of October 2026, the official store lists a one-year student license at $11.00 for each grade checked. Each license covers one child for a year. Schools can get quotes, with licenses advertised from $3.21.
What grades does Keyboarding Without Tears cover?
Kindergarten through 5th grade, with a separate product for each grade: Keys for Me (K), My Keying Board (1), Key Power (2), Keyboarding (3), Keyboarding Success (4) and Can-Do Keyboarding (5). Younger grades focus on mouse skills and finger placement before real typing.
Is there a Learning Without Tears promo code?
We don't list coupon codes. The official store occasionally runs promotions, and schools get volume pricing by quote. Check the store directly, and look at homeschool retailers that carry the line.
Can homeschoolers buy Learning Without Tears?
Yes. Anyone can order from the official store, and the site offers a family buying guide for home learning. Homeschool retailers such as Rainbow Resource also sell workbooks and keyboarding licenses.
What is Get Set for School?
Get Set for School is the company's play-based program for preschool, pre-K and TK (ages 3–5). It includes Readiness and Writing, Letters and Literacy, and a complete curriculum, and it introduced the Mat Man character.
Sources and last checked
Checked 2026-10-13 against these sources:
- lwtears.com
- lwtears.com · history
- lwtears.com · our history
- lwtears.com · explore
- shopping.lwtears.com · 01t4V000007a2lvQAA
- shopping.lwtears.com · 01t4V000007a3C8QAI
- shopping.lwtears.com · 01t4V000009bMnGQAU
- lwtears.com · worksheet maker lite
- rainbowresource.com · keyboarding without tears
- homeschoolpicks.com · keyboarding without tears review homeschool typing