The team at Minisport is on a mission: to get kids “sport-ready” by the age of five years, while giving them a joyful play and learning experience at the same time. There’s also a handy app that parents can use to book sports classes, coaching and games. MATT PATERSON, the company’s founder and CEO, chats to us about what’s coming up in the year ahead for Minisport and its programmes.
A new “finish line” for kids’ sports classes
Aligning with the start of the new 2026/27 school year, Hong Kong-based sports coaching group Minisport is refining its programme to cater to children aged 18 months to five years, rather than 18 months to six years. It’s also sharpening the focus of its offerings, so that every part of the Minisport experience is more deliberately designed for toddlers and preschoolers.
“The idea of this new approach is to equip children with a dynamic range of skills and confidence across our six sports – football, rugby, cricket, tennis, basketball and hockey – so they are ready to enter team sports confidently by age five,” says Matt.
“Our students will enjoy regular exposure to the same class, coach and venue each week – only the sport will change. This gives them a stable platform to build confidence across multiple sports and identify themselves as players of numerous sports, as opposed to focusing on one.”
The result is kids with broad, transferable foundations that allow them to step into a wide range of sporting environments by the time they’re five.
An easy way for parents to track progress
Parents benefit from the approach, too, with access to the Minisport app that lets them easily monitor development and goals.
“The app allows parents to track not just what sports their child is interested in, but also the characteristics they are displaying in class,” says Matt. “Over different terms, they build a detailed picture of how their child is progressing in the world of sport. Kids receive same-day updates on their progress as well as character badges to fuel better-quality discussions at home on the day of the class.”
Before each sport rotation, Minisport sends out emails that familiarise parents with the language and outcomes that are going to be the focus in the coming weeks, as well as some games to play at home in preparation for the rotation.
Three pillars of the “Sport-ready by 5” approach:
Move Well: Balance, agility, coordination and body control
Play Well: Listening, taking turns, following rules and staying engaged
Grow Well: Confidence, resilience, teamwork, communication and sportsmanship
Graduation day!
Adding to the fun for young sports enthusiasts in Hong Kong is the chance to get recognised for crossing the finish line with the Minisport team. Two new Sport Ready Graduation Days will be held in December and June, with five-year-old Explorer students who’ve attended at least 30 sessions across their full Minisport journey receiving personalised certificates for their commitment, progress and readiness to move into the wider world of sport with confidence.
Minisport is currently welcoming new students for its 2026/27 programme. The last two terms reached full capacity, so apply now to join at minisport.hk.
This article on Minisport sports coaching for little kids first appeared in the Autumn 2026 issue of Expat Living magazine. You can buy the latest mag or an annual subscription, or read the digital version for free now.
See more articles about kids’ activities and enrichment in our Kids section!
