Helix Climber

Climb, crawl, and conquer the Helix—SPARK’s towering 16-foot, three-dimensional vertical maze! This eye-catching structure spirals through the center of the museum and invites kids to test their strength, agility, and courage as they navigate up, down, and all around in a dynamic climbing adventure. Sponsored by Mayo Clinic!

How can YOU Play, Learn, and Discover on the Helix?

Play

Kids can scale platforms and navigate surprising turns as they rise to the top. It’s a full-body adventure that encourages physical play, imaginative challenges (“Can you climb like a spider?”), and plenty of high-fives along the way.

Learn

Motor Skills:
Gross motor development through climbing, balancing, and stretching
Core strength and coordination as children maneuver through tight spaces
Spatial awareness as kids plan their path and navigate in three dimensions

Social-Emotional Development:
Builds confidence and perseverance through physical challenge
Encourages turn-taking and cooperative play
Supports risk assessment and decision-making in a safe environment

STEAM:
Engineering curiosity about structure, balance, and design
Early physics concepts through motion, gravity, and force
Math awareness through patterns, levels, and problem-solving routes

Discover

What’s the fastest path to the top?

How does your body move differently going up versus coming down?

What do you see from up high that you can’t see on the ground?