Parents want their kids to put their best foot forward, and that's always a little easier when they're wearing the right shoes. Before you shop, consider these tips from the American Podiatric Medical Association:

• Children’s shoe sizes may change every few months, and shoes that don’t fit properly can create problems.
• Examine heels of footwear as they can wear out before a child outgrows the shoes; uneven heels may indicate a foot problem that should be checked by a podiatrist.
• Since every shoe fits differently, take your child shoe shopping—and have him or her try on shoes with the socks or tights that will be worn with them.
• Always buy for the larger foot since seldom are two feet exactly the same size.
• Look for shoes with a stiff heel; with toe flexibility (shouldn’t be too stiff or bend too much in the toe box area); and with a rigid middle (shouldn’t twist in the middle).

There are myriad resources for children's shoes, and we've highlighted a few Bergen County mainstays. Gibling's Footwear, now in Mahwah and Oakland, originally opened in Ramsey in 1954. Current owner, Barbara Heschle, had her own shoes fitted there as a child. She then worked at Gibling's as a teenager, eventually buying the store in 1976.

“We love our customers and we like to have fun with them,” said Heschle, who devotes 75 percent of her inventory to children’s shoes. And the kids can even step back in time when they play with the penny movie machine, a treasure from the original store. But it’s not all fun and games at Gibling’s—Heschle says it takes a great deal of experience to fit a shoe properly; measuring the child’s feet and finding the right shoe are paramount.

Closter Bootery, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, also services multi-generational buyers. Proprietor Lisa Katz-Smith, whose father bought the store in 1987 from the original owner, took over this Closter business in 1993. Children's shoes represent 50 percent of sales, and she makes the experience fun for kids by giving away balloons, stickers and other gifts. Parents will enjoy benefits, too, particularly the Frequent Buyers Club, an opportunity to save $50 on an item after spending $500 in the store. The big sellers today are Twinkle Toes by Sketchers—sneakers and boots with funky designs—which are very popular with the younger set.

Jenny Jon Fine Shoes for Children has been located at the Fashion Center in Paramus for 15 years. Manager Ozzie Quintana said that judging from his clients’ response to the store’s unique inventory, there aren’t many shops that carry the same upscale shoe styles for kids. Some are manufactured exclusively for Jenny Jon and the store prides itself on products featuring leather linings that extend to the toes for breathability, durable soles designed for active children, roomy toe boxes for growing feet and superior arch supports. While a good many of Jenny Jon’s shoes are imported, you’ll also find domestic favorites in the store’s extensive inventory of footwear for babies through pre-teens.

It's easy to keep pace with ever-changing children's shoe styles at these Bergen County shops. 

Closter Bootery, Closter
201-768-0822

Gibling’s Footwear, Mahwah and Oakland
201-327-0888 (Mahwah); 201-337-7971 (Oakland)

Jenny Jon Fine Shoes for Children, Paramus
www.jennyjonshoes.com; 201-612-9190