By Jennifer Edwards
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Rick Mallette, an assembly specialist at Happen's Toy Lab, hands Malcolm Jones his toy. (Tony Jones photo)

A toy lab for children and their parents or mentors is sparking creativity and stimulating life skills.

Five years ago, Tommy Rueff of Northside sold his half of an advertising business to focus on youngsters and art education.

Today, the 37-year-old artist is one of the co-founders of Happen Inc., a nonprofit agency that serves as the parent company for Happen's Toy Lab. The outreach program opened in December 2002 for children to create their own toys out of donated, recycled toy parts.

The lab has served more then 1,000 children. Last month, it won a 2003 Post-Corbett Award for arts education and outreach.

"Our goal is to make sure kids understand their own power of creativity, and we define that as the power to create something from nothing," Rueff said. "Using their own imaginations and building their own creativity leads to the three E's. We like to entertain, educate and empower.

"That creative thinking leads to problem solving in all kinds of different areas, not only in their education but also in society."

Thousands of toys from across Greater Cincinnati are donated to the program. Toys that still have play value are given to disadvantaged children.

The rest remain at the toy lab on Beechmont Avenue in Anderson Township, where they are separated, cleaned and stored.

Then, school and children's groups come through and, with guidance, rebuild their own toys. Along the way, they pick up brainstorming, problem-solving skills and precious memories.

During a recent afternoon at the lab, more than a dozen students from W.E.B. Dubois Academy in Over-the-Rhine crafted their own playthings.

Andrew Boy, who teaches first through sixth grades at the charter school, has taken three batches of students this year and plans to take another set this week. "You can't find a kid out there who doesn't enjoy their own toy," Boy said. "It does a lot for their imagination."

One of his students, Wallace Robinson, 9, of Westwood, made a plastic action figure out of six toy parts including the legs from a Mighty Ducks player and a trap door from a haunted mansion.

The third-grader seemed excited to get out of the classroom and watch his toy come alive.

Now is the time of year that many parents find themselves cleaning out closets and drawers and throwing out old or broken toys to make room for new ones arriving at Christmas. Before filling up those garbage cans, call Happen's Toy Lab in Anderson Township at 231-TOYS.

For every 25 pounds of toy parts that your family donates, your child will receive a free T-shirt.

Toy lab hours are 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesday; 3 to 8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com