Popular Children's Games and Pastimes

Children had to take care of their baby siblings while playing. (1958) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-5-4)

Children from the squatter area at Valley Road played leapfrog game together. (1959) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-24-8)

Children lined up with their hands resting on the shoulders of their friends in front, moving like “a train passing through a tunnel”. (1961) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-56-6)

No mat, no problem. Children still tried to do a somersault on a blanket. (1962) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-76-6)

Little blindfolded players enjoyed the game “blindman's buff”. (1965) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-159-2)

Children played tug-of-war in a school playground. (1965) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-147-3)

Goldfish scooping was offered by a roadside stall for children. (1967) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-229-6)

Children jumped long rope in seaside open space. (1967) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-240-5)

Children made their own seesaw from a handy plank of wood. (c. 1960s) (Reference no.: HKRS1381-1-Box 3)

Into the 1980s, rock-paper-scissors remained a popular game among children. (1985) Extracted from Hong Kong Annual Report, 1986. (Reference no.: X1000137)

These trendy tin and plastic toys were made in Hong Kong. (1958) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-37-6)

This 15-inch doll cost you 15 dollars at that time. (1959) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-39-1)

Block play was one of the most popular playthings of the time. (1964) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-115-5)

Doll was one of the beloved toys among children. (1965) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-170-5)

Chinese checkers was a popular board game played by many in their childhood. (1965) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-167-9)

These toys were welcomed by children in the 1960s. (1967) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-235-1)

In 1967, the total export value of toys from Hong Kong was close to HK$400 million.

In the past, Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns were usually made of bamboo strips and cellophane sheets, but now, plastic lanterns are the popular choice. (1969) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-336-1)

Children played with accordion paper lanterns and rabbit lanterns made of crepe paper. (1969) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-336-4)

Hong Kong-made lanterns were well received abroad. In the 1960s, they were mainly exported to the United Kingdom and the United States amid the sustained growth in demand from countries such as Sweden and Canada.

Remote-controlled car toys were highly popular among children. (1970) (Reference no.: HKRS1381-1-Box 4)

Children tried out remote-controlled toys in a toy shop. (1981) Extracted from Hong Kong Annual Report, 1982. (Reference no.: X1000137)

In the 1980s, Hong Kong manufactured a great diversity of toys, among which remote-controlled toys were very popular.

This toy library was provided in a public housing estate. Shown in the photograph were toys that children loved to play at that time. (1981) Extracted from Hong Kong Annual Report, 1982. (Reference no.: X1000137)

In the 1950s, it cost ten cents to rent 20 comic books. (1954) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-5-1)

Comic books were children's favourite. (1964) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-137-1)

15 comic books could be rented with ten cents. (1964) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-137-2)

Little readers enjoyed comic books at a roadside bookstall. (1964) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-137-3)

It took 100 dollars to set up a bookstall with over 800 comic books. (1964) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-137-4)

There were over 500 comic bookstalls in Hong Kong. (1964) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-137-5)

Comic book covers were put up all over the wooden boards of the bookstall as a catalogue of book rental. (1964) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-137-6)

Guess what they were watching? (1967) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-247-1)

A television was installed by the then Urban Council in Victoria Park for public entertainment. It was well received by the public. (1967) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-247-2)

The then Urban Council installed some more televisions in other parks afterwards.

Kids watched television programmes. (1969) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-299-6)

Fishermen's children listened to radio storytelling broadcasts. (1969) (Reference no.: HKRS365-1-335-4)

In those years when television was not yet common, radio broadcasts, such as the Radio Television Hong Kong's programme Chinese Stories featuring stories of Chinese historical figures, were very popular among the public.

Young audience was totally absorbed in a film. (c.1969) (Reference no.: HKRS1025-1-1)
In 1963/1964 when film-watching was not a common form of entertainment, the cheapest film ticket was sold for 70 cents. Mobile film screenings organised by Mobile Film Team under the Social Welfare Department, therefore, were extremely popular among children. These screenings were usually held at sports grounds, in school halls or open areas in resettlement estates at night.

This was an outreaching van of the Mobile Film Team. (c.1969) (Reference no.: HKRS1025-1-1)

Young audience was totally absorbed in a film. (c.1960s) (Reference no.: HKRS1381-1-Box 3)

Young audience was totally absorbed in a film. (c.1960s) (Reference no.: HKRS1381-1-Box 3)

Young audience was totally absorbed in a film. (c.1960s) (Reference no.: HKRS1381-1-Box 3)

Young audience was totally absorbed in a film. (c.1960s) (Reference no.: HKRS1381-1-Box 3)

Young audience was totally absorbed in a film. (c.1960s) (Reference no.: HKRS1381-1-Box 3)