Helping toy to work (6)
I believe the answer is:
dollop
'helping' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'toy to work' is the wordplay.
'toy' becomes 'doll' (doll is a kind of toy).
'to work' becomes 'op' (short for opus).
'doll'+'op'='DOLLOP'
(Other definitions for dollop that I've seen before include "Small mass of eg cream" , "Quality of eg cream" , "Squidgy lump (of food)" , "Shapeless lump (of food)" , "serving food, perhaps" .)