Today Mattel (Nasdaq: MAT) announced the start of its third annual global Mattel 12 Days of Play program, a philanthropic series of events that bring play to children who need it most. Taking place today through Dec. 14 in locations across the U.S. and in nearly 30 other countries, the Mattel 12 Days of Play highlights the importance of play in the lives of children around the world. The culmination of the 12 days of activity will occur at Mattel worldwide headquarters in the Los Angeles area on Dec. 13, where area children, Mattel employees and special guests WWE superstar The Miz and WWE Diva Eve will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most snowmen built in one hour.

“Play is vital for children’s development and learning, so creating unforgettable and enriching play experiences for children who may not otherwise have access is at the heart of the Mattel 12 Days of Play program,” said Deidre Lind, Executive Director of the Mattel Children’s Foundation and Director, Corporate Affairs. “During 2012, Mattel’s social impact programs total more than $20 million in cash and product globally, including more than 1.5 million toys, helping to eliminate the barriers to play for children in need.”

In the Los Angeles area, Mattel is bringing more than 390 tons of snow to seven Winter Wonderland events at inner-city schools, which feature sledding, making snow angels, racing Hot Wheels cars down a 40-foot track, special photo opportunities with Barbie^®, and a chance to meet Santa. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will attend the Winter Wonderland event on December 12 at Figueroa Elementary School in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles to show his support of Mattel’s efforts and further raise awareness of the importance of play in a child’s life.

On Dec. 13, with the snow-making expertise and guidance of MagicSnow, 400 elementary-age children from LA’s Best after-school programs will team up with 800 Mattel employees and special WWE guests at the Winter Wonderland Event. In a race against the clock to build 1,500 snowmen in 60 minutes or less, the team will attempt to break the current Guinness World Record for the most snowmen built in one hour.

Mattel 12 Days of Play began in 2010 as a way for Mattel employees to give back to the communities in which we live, work and play. In lieu of holiday parties, departments across the Mattel organization held volunteer events to bring fun, play, joy and toys to children during the holidays.  Today, Mattel employees, volunteers, partners and brand teams such as Barbie^®, Hot Wheels^®, Fisher-Price^®, Thomas & Friends^® and American Girl^® will come together with local schools, community organizations, children’s hospitals and other charities to create a series of memorable moments for underserved children.

Mattel 12 Days of Play is part of the work of Mattel’s social impact work and the Mattel Children’s Foundation, which work to break down the barriers of play for more than five million children in need each year. Understanding the barriers to play allows Mattel to maximize its social impact, focusing on the areas with the greatest potential reach. Through its own extensive research, the four most significant barriers to play were identified and the company’s social impact efforts are now built around these four core areas: time to play; place to play; tools to play and advocacy for play.

The full schedule of Los Angeles area Winter Wonderland events includes:

December 3:  112th Street Elementary in the Watts neighborhood

December 4:  Washington Elementary in Hawthorne, Calif.

December 5:  Grape Street Elementary in the Watts neighborhood

December 6:  Jefferson Elementary in Lennox, Calif.

December 10: 10th Street Elementary in Downtown Los Angeles

December 12:  Figueroa Elementary in the Watts neighborhood, with Mayor Villaraigosa

December 13:  Mattel Headquarters, El Segundo, Calif. for the Guinness World Record Challenge with WWE Superstar The Miz & WWE Diva Eve

About The Mattel Children’s Foundation

Established in 1978, The Mattel Children's Foundation’s vision is making a meaningful difference, one child at a time.  The Foundation provides cash grants through domestic and international grant making programs, as well as international scholarships to children of employees, matching gifts and volunteer grants for Mattel employees. The Foundation also continues its tradition of partnering with exemplary nonprofit partners, such as Special Olympics, Save the Children, the Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, the Children's Hospital Association (CHA), Playworks and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Mattel Children's Foundation is funded exclusively by cash donations from Mattel, Inc.

About Mattel

Mattel, Inc. (Nasdaq: MAT) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products. The Mattel family is comprised of such best-selling brands as Barbie®, the most popular fashion doll ever introduced, Hot Wheels®, Matchbox®, American Girl®, Radica® and Tyco R/C®, as well as Fisher-Price® brands, including Thomas & Friends®, Little People®, Power Wheels® and a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. In 2012, Mattel was named as one of FORTUNE Magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For" for the fifth year in a row. Mattel also is ranked among Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "100 Best Corporate Citizens" and the "World's Most Ethical Companies." With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs nearly 30,000 people in 43 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations. At Mattel, we are "Creating the Future of Play." Visit us at www.mattel.com, follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/mattel or Twitter @Mattel.

About MagicSnow

MagicSnow is famous for creating a winter wonderland in any environment, indoors or out.   The company has become the go-to resource for snow effects for the entertainment industry and high profile special events all over the world.  For more information about MagicSnow and its snow effects, please visit http://www.magicsnow.com.

Mattel Children's Foundation

Mattel Children's Foundation

The Mattel Children's Foundation was established in 1978. With a vision of "making a meaningful difference, one child at a time," the Foundation provides cash grants through domestic and international grantmaking programs, as well as international scholarships to children of employees, matching gifts and volunteer grants for Mattel employees. In addition, the Foundation continues its tradition of partnering with exemplary nonprofit partners. Mattel has partnered with Special Olympics, Save the Children, the Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA, the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI) and the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation (CAAF). The Mattel Children's Foundation is funded exclusively by cash donations from Mattel, Inc.

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