Elephant Figure from 1900 to 1925 © McCord Museum

Toys are top of mind for many kids these days, as in what and how many they’re going to get for Christmas. Perhaps the toy collection on display at the McCord Museum will get them thinking about something other than plastic movie merchandise.

The recently launched Toys exhibit features more than 400 toys – some dating back to the 1800s – including dolls, a dollhouse from 1880, toy cars, figurines and animals. The show targets age 3 to 10 and is designed to be interactive, with entertainment and puppet shows.

Some special family events are also on the agenda:

Santa Claus Parade Snack: On Saturday, Nov. 20, the day of Montreal’s Santa Claus Parade, a special treat will be offered at the Museum, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Toy contest: Since the show is sponsored by Le Lait, kids age 12 and under are invited to create a toy out of a milk carton and enter it in a contest. The contest runs Nov. 14 to Jan. 16, and three winners will have their toys displayed in the exhibit. Grand prize is a McCord Museum birthday party and a one-year family membership to the museum.

Family Sundays: From Dec. 5 to Feb. 27, the museum will host craft workshops and film screenings for families.

Grandparents weekend: On Jan. 22 and 23, 2011, the McCord welcomes grandparents and grandchildren free of charge.

Nov. 20 update: We visited the Toys exhibit at the McCord Museum today, and the kids had a great time exploring it for about 30 minutes. Without giving away too many details and ruining the surprise for everyone else, the interactive portions of the show were definitely the highlight for our boys (age 3 and 6). The toys being displayed are under or behind glass, but other activity stations allow them to draw, pretend and build. The exhibit is on the smaller side, so plan to tie your visit in with another downtown activity. For lunch, there is a Java U café about two blocks from the museum.

Has anyone been to the McCord Museum Toy exhibit? Share your comments below!