From LEGO to Electric Vehicles: What Families and Students Can Learn at the Canadian International AutoShow

Each February, Toronto becomes a gathering place for innovation, design, and engineering as the Canadian International AutoShow returns to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (255 Front St W, Toronto, ON M5V 2W6). Running from February 13 to 22, 2026, the Show is often thought of as an annual destination for car enthusiasts, but it also offers meaningful learning opportunities for students, educators, and families. With vehicles becoming increasingly connected, electric, and technology-driven, the AutoShow provides a real-world setting where classroom concepts come to life. Below, we share our full conversation with Brian Murphy, Director of Media & Public Relations for the Canadian International AutoShow, who offers insight into how the event creates meaningful learning experiences for students and families, including field trip opportunities through the School Ticket Program and access to student discount tickets.

On our education blog, Teachers on Call regularly shares insights and experiential learning opportunities that help students explore career pathways and connect classroom learning to real-world sectors and industries. The 2026 AutoShow invites visitors to explore how transportation is evolving and what that means for the future. Interactive experiences, manufacturer displays, and hands-on learning environments allow students to see science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) alongside business principles in action. Have you ever wondered how to explain zero emissions to a kid? The online and in-home tutoring service at Teachers on Call recommends educational events like these to spark curiosity, ask questions, and encourage critical thinking about sustainability, design, and innovation. With the 10-day Show aligning with Family Day weekend, it also creates a natural opportunity for shared learning and connection across generations.

PA Day Makes Opening Day of the Canadian International AutoShow a Perfect Family Field Trip

For many major Ontario school boards in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), opening day on Friday, February 13, 2026 coincides with a Professional Activity (PA) Day, making it a convenient opportunity for families to visit the AutoShow. The following school boards have PA Days scheduled for this date:

Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB)

PA Day for both elementary and secondary schools across Toronto (including neighbourhoods of Etobicoke, Forest Hill, Lawrence Park, Leaside, Leslieville, Lytton Park, Moore Park, North Toronto, Rosedale, and Summerhill)

Halton District School Board (HDSB) and Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) 

PA Day for both elementary and secondary schools across Burlington, Oakville, Milton, and Halton Hills

Peel District School Board (PDSB) and Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) 

PA Day for both elementary and secondary schools across Lorne Park, Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon

Durham District School Board (DDSB) and Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) 

PA Day for secondary schools only across Brooklin, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering and Oshawa

It is recommended to check individual school or board websites, as PA Day dates can occasionally vary by region, panel, or school level. For parents planning ahead, purchase tickets online prior to February 13th to save up to 10%, and take advantage of discounted youth (ages 12–16) and child (ages 7–11) ticket options, while kids 6 and under attend for free.

Revving Up Creativity: LEGO and Hot Wheels at the AutoShow

Two standout feature exhibits for 2026 help bridge play, creativity, and education.  By turning familiar toys into large-scale exhibits, they help students connect play-based creativity with real-world engineering and design. Together, these experiences show how curiosity and creativity often serve as the starting point for deeper learning.

Mercedes-Benz CLA: Hot Wheels Art Installation

The Hot Wheels (Mattel) exhibit, developed in partnership with Mercedes-Benz, highlights imagination, engineering, and storytelling through one of the world’s most recognizable brands. From racing Hot Wheels cars across the living-room floor as kids to standing in front of a life-size, Hot Wheels-inspired Mercedes-Benz CLA installation at the Canadian International AutoShow, this years' experience highlights how imagination can grow into real-world design and innovation.

The striking new art installation invites families and students to look closer at the creative process behind automotive engineering, while the Walmart Hot Wheels pop-up shop lets visitors bring that inspiration home through classic favourites and the latest collector models. With a dedicated Collector’s Event where fans can meet with the designer of the installation, share stories and celebrate the culture behind the cars, the AutoShow becomes more than a spectacle, it becomes a hands-on lesson in creativity, craftsmanship and how childhood curiosity can spark lifelong passions.

The Hot Wheels display is located in the North Building, 200 Front Street Lobby throughout the Canadian International AutoShow.

LEGO 1950s Cadillac Display

Meanwhile, the LEGO exhibit, featuring a life-size 1950s Cadillac built entirely from LEGO bricks, invites visitors to think about scale, structure, and design in a hands-on and approachable way. This year’s feature display showcases the big surprise from November's FORMULA 1® LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX!  After the race, the top three drivers were chauffeured to the Winner’s Stage at the Bellagio for their post-race interviews in a full-sized, first-of-its-kind, drivable pink open-top LEGO Big Build 1950s Cadillac cool down car.

As Priscilla Sam, Sr. Marketing Manager, the LEGO Group, explains, "The LEGO Group booth at the Canadian International AutoShow brings the joy of creative building to life in ways that inspire curiosity and imagination across all ages. Through hands-on play experiences, auto enthusiasts, families and students alike can discover how play-based learning connects to real-world innovation in automotive design, engineering, and problem-solving."

The LEGO Group Activation Area invites families, students, and auto enthusiasts to explore creativity through interactive experiences across the show floor. Visitors can take part in the Family Play Vroom make-and-take activity, where guests build their own custom vehicle to bring home, or step into the F1 Room to experience brick-built race car models from McLaren, Ferrari, and Williams Racing, complete with photo opportunities alongside 1/8-scale Formula 1 cars. The LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Retail Store will also be on site, offering a selection of LEGO vehicle sets and products, including a special gift with purchase promotion.

Attendees can also meet LEGO Design Manager Specialist, Lubor Zelinka, during a special autograph session on Friday, February 13 at 2:00 pm. Zelinka led the team responsible for creating the record-breaking Cadillac build, giving visitors a chance to learn more about the design and construction process behind the installation. Throughout the AutoShow, guests can take photos with the iconic pink LEGO Cadillac and other LEGO displays featured across the show floor.

The scale of the build itself highlights the engineering and collaboration involved:

• Total LEGO® elements: 418,556 bricks, including a record-breaking 123,426 pink bricks
• Weight: 2,100 kg, or over two tonnes
• Development time: approximately 4,000 combined hours, including design and build
• Timeline: four months from concept to completion
• Team: 17 master builders, engineers, and designers from the LEGO Group
• Capacity: five seats, capable of carrying five people

A Look Under the Hood: An Exclusive Interview with the Canadian International AutoShow’s Brian Murphy

The Canadian International AutoShow is often seen as a consumer event, but there is a strong educational component as well. From your perspective, what makes the AutoShow a meaningful family field trip for students of different ages?

The Show offers a wide range of learning opportunities. STEM is an obvious one—today’s vehicles are packed with advanced technology, all developed through engineering and science. Electric vehicles, in particular, showcase cutting-edge innovations in batteries and energy management.

Beyond STEM, the Show also highlights marketing and business strategies, as many booths reflect the Canadian implementation of a manufacturer’s marketing plan. There are multiple angles to explore, especially around how transportation is evolving through electric, connected, and autonomous vehicles.

How do the hands-on experiences at the AutoShow—such as EV test tracks, engineering showcases, and vehicle design—complement what students are learning in school, particularly in areas like science, technology, math, and geography?

Seeing these concepts in action can be very impactful. Beyond battery technology, students can observe science, technology, math, and even geography at almost every booth—they just need to look. Experiencing these concepts in the real world makes them tangible and memorable.

Many students learn best by doing. How does the AutoShow’s “don’t just see it, drive it” approach help young people better understand concepts like energy, motion, sustainability, and design compared to learning about them only in a classroom?

While younger students may be too young to participate in test drives, they can still see EVs in action on our indoor track without venturing into the cold. Observing vehicles in person—rather than in a video or online—makes a big difference, especially when learning about design or the science behind cars. It’s also a chance to ask knowledgeable representatives questions and get real insights about how vehicles work.

With electric vehicles, hybrids, and advanced automotive technology on display, what are some of the key innovations students and families are exposed to that may surprise them or challenge common misconceptions?

There are many myths about EVs, so the AutoShow is a great place to see the reality firsthand. Students often leave knowing more about EVs than their parents! The Show also demonstrates the variety of solutions available today—from internal combustion engines to hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and pure EVs.

Safety is another area where innovation is constant. Each year, attendees can discover new safety technologies and learn how manufacturers continue to prioritize protecting drivers and passengers.

The partnership with Plug’n Drive and the indoor EV test track offer a unique learning environment. How does the AutoShow help students and families better understand sustainability, clean energy, and responsible transportation choices?

The partnership with Plug’n Drive is a fantastic way to teach the public about EVs—not just students, but their parents as well. The 2026 Show theme, Driven by Choice, emphasizes offering the broadest array of transportation options and letting families and consumers explore for themselves. With so many choices in the auto market today, there’s a lot to learn about sustainable and responsible transportation.

The automotive sector today spans engineering, software development, environmental science, manufacturing, design, and data analytics. What career pathways do you hope students begin to see when they attend the AutoShow?

There are countless opportunities! STEM careers are an obvious path, but there’s also business—especially marketing and advertising, which are very visible at the Show. Automotive technicians are in high demand, so the Show is a great way to showcase that career path. Beyond technicians, there are many roles within dealerships—Canada has over 3,000 new car dealerships, offering a broad range of opportunities.

While STEM plays a major role, the AutoShow also highlights careers in trades, communications, marketing, logistics, and project management. How does the event help students see the wide range of skills and roles involved in the automotive industry?

The Show allows students to see the industry in real life. Personally, attending the AutoShow in Toronto helped shape my own career—I fell in love with the industry, studied business at university, and have been working in automotive for over 25 years. Seeing it firsthand can inspire students to explore many different career paths.

Do you currently offer or support school field trips or group visits for elementary or secondary students? If so, what can educators expect from a school visit, and how can schools learn more or get involved?

Yes—we offer a curated School Ticket Program for both elementary and high school students, giving teachers the opportunity to take students out of the classroom for an educational, engaging field trip.

Student tickets are $13 each, and for every 20 tickets purchased, one complimentary teacher ticket is included. Each ticket also includes a food coupon for a discounted hot dog, chips, and pop at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC).

This year, participating colleges, including Automotive Business School of Canada (ABSC - located in Georgian College’s Barrie Campus in Ontario - 1 Georgian Dr, Barrie, ON L4M 1E9) and Humber Polytechnic, will have booth space on the show floor, allowing students to explore future programs and speak directly with graduates and program leaders. 

More information about student discount tickets is available here. Questions from schools and teachers can be directed to cias@autoshow.ca.

For parents and educators attending with students, how would you suggest they approach the AutoShow to turn the visit into a learning experience—both during the event and in follow-up conversations at home or in the classroom?

We recommend equipping students with questions, either formally or informally, to guide observation and discussion. For example:

• How is the automotive world changing? What did you notice?
• Looking at the marketing efforts of exhibitors, which display did you find most effective and why?
• How do you think auto shows influence the vehicles that consumers buy?
• What was the most interesting thing you learned?
• What new things did you learn about electric vehicles at the Show?

Encouraging reflection during and after the visit helps turn the experience into meaningful learning.

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The 2026 Canadian International AutoShow demonstrates that learning does not have to be confined to traditional classrooms in school settings, offering a kid-friendly experience with youth (ages 12-16) and child (ages 7-11) ticket options, while kids 6 and under attend for free. For parents, educators, and students in Toronto and across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), the event offers an engaging environment where science, technology, creativity, and real-world problem solving intersect. From electric vehicle test tracks to conversations with industry experts, the AutoShow encourages visitors to observe closely, ask thoughtful questions, and reflect on how transportation is changing. Together, this creates a unique opportunity to inspire the industry leaders of tomorrow and turn the MTCC into a giant classroom where learning comes to life. Pro tip: Plan ahead and purchase tickets online prior to Friday, February 13, 2026 to save up to 10%.

As Brian Murphy, Director of Media and Public Relations for the Canadian International AutoShow, shares throughout this interview, attending the AutoShow with intention can turn a day out into a lasting educational experience. It is a place where students can explore future career paths, families can bond over shared interests, and learners of all ages can gain a clearer understanding of innovation, sustainability, and choice. Whether you arrive as a lifelong car enthusiast or a curious first-time visitor, the AutoShow offers inspiration, insight, and opportunities to learn together. 

Do not fret if you live far from Ontario. On the West Coast and looking for a similar experience? Learn more about the Vancouver International Auto Show in Vancouver, British Columbia happening from March 25 - March 29, 2026 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West (1055 Canada Pl, Vancouver, BC V6C 0C3).