This column includes events that are of interest to families. Material must be received at least two weeks before the event.

Address suggested material to Hubbub Calendar, P.O. Box 81689, Lincoln, NE 68501 or e-mail to eandersen@journalstar.com.

* Today

Creation Station, 9:30 a.m.-noon, Lincoln Children’s Museum. Carts of recycled/salvaged materials for making art. Regular admission.

Junior Ranger Rendezvous, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. today-Sunday, Homestead National Monument. Ages 5 and over complete activities in free booklet and receive Junior Ranger Badge. Free. (402) 223-3514.

Barnes & Noble children’s storytime, 10:30 a.m., SouthPointe Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 2910 Pine Lake Road. Story reading and activities. 421-7979.

Turkey Chase 2006, indoor dirt-oval go-kart race, today-Sunday, Lancaster Event Center, 4100 N. 84th St. For ages 8 and over. For information, call Ed, (402) 490-3535.

One Warm Coat Collection, Salvation Army, today-Dec.15, SouthPointe Pavilions Shopping Center, 27th Street and Pine Lake Road. Bring new children’s coats or clean, gently used adult coats to participating stores. For information, 421-2114.

* Saturday

Brain Teasers & Brain Benders, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Lincoln Children’s Museum. Regular admission.

Winter Weekends at the Zoo, noon-4 p.m., today-Sunday, Dec. 2-3, Lincoln Children’s Zoo. Greet Hudson and Yukon (two of Santa’s reindeer) with special reindeer demonstration at 2 p.m., visit with Santa, ride the Rudolph Express, and more. $6 adult, $5 child/senior citizen and free for zoo members.

Free guided hike, 2 p.m., Pioneers Park Nature Center. Topic: Signs of Winter.

Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, 6:30 p.m., SouthPointe Pavilions, 27th Street and Pine Lake Road. Santa flips switch to illuminate lights, music by String Beans, free mini-train rides, refreshments, photos. Free admission.

Santa on the Square, 10 a.m.-noon, Seward Courthouse Square, Seward. Free.

* Sunday

Winter Festival of Prairie Cultures, Die Singeden Wanderer German Men’s Choir, 1, 3 p.m., Homestead National Monument. For all ages. Free.

Free guided hike, 2 p.m., Pioneers Park Nature Center. Topic: Signs of Winter.

*  Monday

Lincoln City Libraries Storytimes, Preschool, 7 p.m.; Toddlers: 10:30 a.m., Anderson Branch Library.

*  Tuesday

MOMS (Meeting Other Mothers) Group, 9:30-11 a.m., Grace Lutheran Church, 22nd and Washington streets. Children play, mothers meet for coffee. Baby-sitting: $2 for first child, $1 for each additional child. Call Karen, 477-0031.

Creation Station, 9:30 a.m.-noon, Lincoln Children’s Museum. Carts of recycled/salvaged materials for making art. Regular admission.

Lincoln City Libraries Storytimes: Preschool: 10:15 a.m. Bennett Martin, 10:30 a.m. Anderson, Gere and Walt branches, 7 p.m. Eiseley Branch; Toddlers: 10:30 a.m., Walt.

* Wednesday

Preschool playtime: Therapy Dogs, 9:30-11:30 a.m., Lincoln Children’s Museum. Regular admission.

Mothers Group, 10-11:30 a.m., Northeast Family Center, 5903 Walker Ave. 471-3700. Child care provided.

Lincoln City Libraries Storytimes: Preschool: 10:30 a.m. Eiseley, Walt and South branches; 2 p.m. South Branch; Toddlers: 10:30 a.m., Eiseley and Walt; Elementary school: 4 p.m., Eiseley.

Grandparent Group, 1 p.m., Northeast Family Center, 5903 Walker Ave. 471-3700.

* Thursday

Holiday open house, 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Lincoln Children’s Museum. Unique items for holiday shopping. Store shopping available without museum admittance.

Parent and child playgroup, for children ages 9 months-5 years, 9:30-11 a.m., Northeast Family Center, 5903 Walker Ave. 471-3700.

Reading with Reva and Friends, 10 a.m.; Brain Teasers & Brain Benders, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Lincoln Children’s Museum. Regular admission.

Lincoln City Libraries Storytimes: Preschool: 10:15 a.m. Bennett Martin, 10:30 a.m. Eiseley and Gere branches; 7 p.m. Bethany; Toddlers: 10:35 a.m, Eiseley.

* Shows

“Alice in Wonderland,” Youth Performance Group, 2, 7 p.m. Thursday-next Friday; 2 p.m. Dec. 2, Haymarket Theatre, 803 Q St. 477-2600.

Planetarium Astronomy shows:  “What the Heck Is Happening with the Planets?” 2, 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday,  Ralph Mueller Planetarium.  Admission: Adults $6, children and students with student ID $4 (includes museum admission). 472-2641.

Hyde Observatory shows: Nov. shows: “Stereo — Twin Solar Observations” and “Fall Constellations”; December shows: “The Star of Bethlehem,” and “Winter Constellations,” 7-10 p.m. Saturday, Hyde Memorial Observatory. Free. Suitable for all ages.

* Register now

Baby Signs Parent Workshop, 7-9 p.m. Thursday, BryanLGH College of Health Sciences, Room 200, 5035 Everett St. $55 per couple. To register, 481-8300.

Little Baby, Big Changes, 7-9:30 p.m. Thursday. Answers to life-changing questions especially for expectant and new parents. $10 per couple. For location and to register call (402) 219-7000 or www.SaintElizabethOnline.com.

Holiday Art Camp, 10 a.m.-noon, Saturdays beginning Dec. 2, 9, 16, Lux Center for the Arts, 48th and Baldwin streets. Children ages 6-12 make holiday- themed art, decorations and presents. $60 per child, reservation required. 466-8692.

Introduction to infant massage and yoga for mom, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Mondays beginning Dec.4-18, Milkworks, 5930 S. 48th St., Suite W (Trade Center). Free. Reservations, 423-6402.

Grandma’s Pocket, 9:30-11 a.m., meets twice a week (Mondays and Fridays or Tuesdays and Thursdays) for three weeks, beginning Dec. 4 or Dec. 5, Irving Recreation Center. For toddlers 20 months old through age 4. Activities designed to help children learn to interact with their peers. Fee: $27. To register, call 441-7954.

Candy House Funshop, Dec. 7-10, Lincoln Children’s Museum. Cost: $15 includes all materials. Regular admission applies. For reservations/times call 477-0128.

Douglas Theatre Company’s free Christmas show, 9 a.m. movie; 8:15 a.m. doors open, The Grand Theatre, 11th and P streets. Free admission with choice of 14 family movies, pop, popcorn and candy.

* Workshops/classes

Breast-feeding Cafe, for pregnant and breast-feeding mothers, mother-to-mother support from La Leche League, 10:30 a.m.-noon every Friday, Eiseley Branch Library, 1530 Superior St.

Breast-feeding Support Group for Moms, 1:30-2:30 p.m. every Wednesday, BryanLGH College of Health Sciences, Room 200, 5035 Everett St. 481-3328.

Mom Talk, educational and social gathering for breast-feeding mothers and their babies, Mondays 7-8 p.m.; Fridays 10-11:30 a.m.; Parent Talk, educational and social gathering for breast-feeding mothers, dads and their babies, Wednesdays 10-11:30 a.m., MilkWorks, 5930 S. 58th St., Suite W (Trade Center). 423-6402.

* Coming up

Pete’s Penguin Picnic, all-you-can-eat pancake feed, 8:30 a.m.-noon, Dec. 2, Downtown Senior Center, 1005 O St.

Annual Star City Parade, 11 a.m. Dec. 2, 10th and O streets.

“Christmas Past and Present,” 6-9 p.m. Dec. 2, 8 and 9; 2-5 p.m. Dec. 10, Stuhr Museum. Enjoy a step back in time, meet Father Christmas, enjoy holiday cooking and experience all things Christmas. $5 adults, $3 ages 7-12, ages 6 and under free. (308) 385-5316 or www.stuhrmuseum.org.

Hispanic Winter Traditions, 1, 3 p.m. Dec. 3, Homestead National Monument. For all ages. Free.

The String Beans Christmas show, 2 p.m. Dec. 3, Lee Booksellers, Edgewood Center, 5500 S. 56th St. Free.

* Family viewing

Current G or PG movies. All movies currently in the theater and running through next Thursday unless otherwise noted. Movies are rated up to ****

IN THEATERS

BARNYARD. Kevin James provides the voice of a young bull who has to learn to take responsibility in this entertaining computer-animated picture for the kids. PG. (Star Ship) **

DECK THE HALLS. Danny DeVito wants to put up a Christmas display that can be seen from space. His neighbor, Matthew Broderick, isn’t wild about the idea in this holiday comedy that doesn’t have the courage to be mean and ends up bland. PG. (Grand, East Park) *

EVERYONE’S HERO. After Babe’s bat Darlin’ (Whoopi Goldberg) is stolen, Yankee Irving (Jake T. Austin) sets out to save her and the team’s chances of winning with the help of Screwie (Rob Reiner) in this well-done animated picture. G. (Star Ship) ***

FLICKA. Alison Lohman and Tim McGraw star in this update of the famous story about a girl and her horse that is well enough done to the be the best family movie of the season. PG. (Edgewood) **½

FLUSHED AWAY. This entertaining British computer-animated movie finds an upper-class mouse, voiced by Hugh Jackman, flushed into an underground city, where he has to depend on a lower-class rat, voiced by Kate Winslet, and her boat to get home. PG. (East Park, SouthPointe) ***

HAPPY FEET. Elijah Wood provides the voice of a tap-dancing penguin who is exiled from his colony and goes on a quest to find out what is happening to its food supply in this entertaining, action- and music-filled, computer-animated film. PG. (Grand, East Park, SouthPointe) ***½

OPEN SEASON. This very funny computer-animated movie has talking animals doing their best to survive against bumbling hunters. PG. (Edgewood) ***½

THE SANTA CLAUSE 3: THE ESCAPE CLAUSE. This tired sequel never sparks as Jack Frost, played by Martin Short, tries to take over the North Pole from Tim Allen’s Santa, who is having family problems. G. (Grand, East Park, Edgewood) *

VIDEO RELEASES

Cars (G), available now,

Ice Age: The Meltdown (PG), available now.

The Ant Bully (PG), available Tuesday.

Hot Wheels AcceleRacers: The Ultimate Race (NR), available Tuesday.

* Places to go

In Lincoln:

Ager Play Center, 1300 S. 27th St.; 441-6788.

Lincoln Children’s Zoo, 1222 S. 27th St.; 475-6741; www.lincolnzoo.org.

Hyde Memorial Observatory, Holmes Park, 70th Street and South Shore Boulevard, south side of Holmes Lake.

Lincoln Children’s Museum, 1420 P St.; 477-0128; www.lincolnchildrensmuseum.org.

Morrill Hall, University of Nebraska State Museum and Ralph Mueller Planetarium, 14th and U streets; 472-2642.

Museum of Nebraska History, 15th and P streets; 471-4754; www.nebraskahistory.org.

Pioneers Park Nature Center, 3201 S. Coddington Ave.; 441-7895.

Elsewhere:

Homestead National Monument of America, four miles west of Beatrice on Nebraska 4; (402) 223-3514.

Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, 3133 W. Highway 34, Grand Island. (308) 385-5316.