Forget iPads and video games – how about kung fu for Hong Kong children?

Parents who have signed up their kids swear by martial arts to instil discipline and promote physical well-being

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Kids from St Paul's Church Kindergarten strut their kung fu stuff. Photo: Edward Wong

Published: 3:25pm, 22 Oct 2017Updated: 2:50pm, 23 Oct 2017

In one synchronised motion, they punch the air with their fists, keeping their feet firmly planted on the ground, their brows furrowed in intense concentration as part of a Chinese martial arts showcase.

But the fierce wushu demonstration comes from unlikely pint-sized performers – these are four to five-year-old Hong Kong children from a kindergarten in North Point.

Leading a separate charge is an older 12-strong troupe of masters from the Shaolin Monastery, a Buddhist temple in Henan province famed for its martial arts training.

The masters were invited by cable car operator Ngong Ping 360 to perform and conduct workshops for a month on Lantau Island, while the children, who also came to display their skills, are from a martial arts course organised by a local kindergarten.

Ten parents watch proudly as their little ones strut their kung fu stuff on stage. The show caps the grand finale of martial arts training for the children, who signed up a year ago.

In this age, allowing children ample time for physical exercise – in between tedious school work and extracurricular activities – can be quite a challenge.

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In a city where the young are given electronic devices even before turning one, as found by a government survey in August, there have been concerns over the physical development of children.