Some of the more gut-wrenching, heartfelt performances you’ve witnessed have been by a 5-year-old. Yours.

So if a skinned knee usually ends with shouts of “Bravo!” think about focusing those melodramatic tendencies in the direction of Innovative Kids’s Now I’m Reading Plays.

Perfect for new readers ages 5 and up, box sets of The Three Little Pigs or Cinderella include character masks, a storybook, and five personalized scripts. Individual lines are highlighted and bolded to make it easier for mini method actors to follow along.

We read the book first to familiarize our cast with the setting, characters, and plot. Next, we let them get to work creating costumes and practicing their lines. Our performances took place sitting in a circle on the playroom rug. But that didn’t stop them from taking a bow.

Available online at spoonsisters.com.

SWING
Gaithersburg Miniature Golf
What: Squeeze in one more game before the course closes for the season.
Why: Half-price ice cream with admission on Sunday makes it still feel like summer.
When: Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Where: 514 S. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg (301-258-6420). Adults and children, $6 per game.

CREATE
Alexandria Arts Safari
What: Hands-on activities like collage, painting, and origami at the annual event (ages 5 and up).
Why: Prepare to get messy with mushy papier-mache.
When: Sat., noon-4 p.m.
Where: Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union St., Alexandria (703-838-4565). Admission is free.

HARVEST
Pumpkinville
What: Decorate scarecrows, whoosh down the centipede slide, and lug home the perfect pumpkin.
Why: Wet your whistle with fresh apple cider.
When: Thru Nov. 7. Daily, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. 
Where: Leesburg Animal Park, 19270 James Monroe Hwy., Leesburg (703-433-0002). Tickets online at pumpkinfestleesburg.com or at the gate. Weekdays, adults and children, $8.50; weekends, adults and children, $13; under 2, free.

Photo: Courtesy of The Spoon Sisters

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