<?php
$m = new MongoClient;
$c = $m->demo->circus; $c->remove();
$c->insert( [ '_id' => 'circ5', 'name' => 'Funny Led' ] );

$c->update(
    [ '_id' => 'circ5' ],
    [ '$push' => [ 'elephpants' => [ 'name' => 'Bobo', 'year' => 2012 ] ] ]
);
var_dump( $c->findOne( [ 'name' => 'Funny Led' ], [ 'elephpants' => 1 ] ) );
?>
Output