Can you use 希望 for actions in the past? For example, if I want to say "I wish I learned Chinese when I was little", is it ok to say "我希望我小的时候学中文"? 

If not, is there another word I could use instead? Possibly "我最好小的时候学中文"?

Or do I need to entirely rephrase and say something like "我小的时候学中文更好"
As a 老外 saying this, maybe: 我希望从小就开始学中文了。 Using 希望 is good.