Employee Benefit Plans - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)
Employee Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]
Cash contributions made for defined benefit pension benefit plans	$ 31
Cash contributions made for postretirement benefit plans	2
Expected additional cash contributions	$ 5

Employee Benefits Disclosure [Line Items]

No definition available.

Name:	mat_EmployeeBenefitsDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	mat_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of employer's best estimate of contributions expected to be paid to the plan in the current remaining fiscal period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInCurrentFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of cash or cash equivalents contributed during the reporting period by the entity to fund non-pension postretirement benefits.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 25

-Subparagraph (g)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3536-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitsPayments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of cash or cash equivalents contributed by the entity to fund its pension plans.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PensionContributions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration