Our story began

Our story began in 1993, when my wife Raisa Gladushyna, Head of the Department of Psychology (specializing in visual perception and motivation), and I, Alexander Gladushyn, Head of the Department of 3D Modeling, developed and patented a series of tactile learning aids for children.

Following a thorough state examination, our tactile products received official recommendation from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. Only after that, TESTPLAY began supplying WRITING TRAINERS and SMART BLOCKS to more than 15,000 schools across Ukraine.
We remain deeply grateful for the valuable guidance of Kateryna Pryshchepa, a leading methodologist at the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

By 1998, our educational aids had received official approvals for use in Russia, Belarus, China, India, and other countries. We began manufacturing our products in 12 languages, including Ukrainian, English, Russian, Hindi, Hebrew, and Arabic.

Tactile learning materials developed by TESTPLAY have proven to accelerate handwriting acquisition by 2.5–3 times while reducing visual strain. They eliminate the need for traditional repetitive copying of letters and their elements.

We gratefully acknowledge the inspiration of Maria Montessori, who, like us, believed in helping children achieve high-quality learning through creativity and empathy rather than through patent rights.

By 2025, the total production volume of our educational aids reached 14.82 million units of WRITING TRAINERS and 5.75 million units of SMART BLOCKS.

3D Maps with Panoramic Effect

Since 1998, TESTPLAY has expanded into the creation of 3D Maps with Panoramic Effect, including series such as “Europe”, “Russia”, “The World”, “The USA”, “Ukraine”, “China”, and others.
These wall-format maps (unframed 1120×800 mm, with relief height up to 80 mm) are produced for schools and commercial institutions worldwide.
A total of 22,500 large-format 3D maps have been produced — widely recognized as unmatched in quality and artistic brilliance.

We also launched a line of A4-format 3D Maps (covering the USA, France, Italy, Germany, Alaska, New York State, California, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and more).
Despite their vivid visual appeal, our research found that A4 maps are most suitable for office display rather than home interiors.

In 2023, focus groups in Switzerland and the USA confirmed that the A6 format (10×15 cm) is the most practical for high-traffic tourist locations — such as National Parks, Ski Resorts, and destinations like Hawaii, St. Catalina Island, and Alaska.

The sales performance of these compact maps confirmed our market strategy. For example:

• 3D Map of Crete — 82,000 units per year,
• Greece, Russia, Sochi, Moscow Region — about 15,000 units per year each.