A baby spoon is the very first piece of cutlery your baby will ever use and choosing the right one for each developmental stage genuinely matters. Too large or too firm in the early weeks of weaning and it becomes uncomfortable and intimidating. Too shallow or too basic in the self-feeding stage and it doesn't provide the feedback and confidence a baby needs to master the spoon independently
Beaba designs their baby spoon range around two clearly defined stages parent-led feeding in the first months of weaning, and child-led self-feeding as coordination and independence develop with specific spoon designs for each
Understanding Baby Spoon Stages
1st Stage Baby Spoons — For Parent-Led Feeding (from around 4 months)
A first stage baby spoon is designed primarily for use by a parent or caregiver introducing solid food a tool to offer purees, mashes, and soft foods during the early weeks and months of weaning. At this stage, the spoon is held by the parent and guided to the baby's mouth so the design priorities are a comfortable adult grip, a shallow bowl that delivers the right portion size, and a soft, gentle tip that never feels harsh against sensitive gums and the developing palate
2nd Stage Baby Spoons — For Self-Feeding (from around 6–8 months)
A 2nd stage baby spoon or self-feeding spoon is designed for the stage when your baby begins reaching for the spoon and attempting to feed themselves one of the most exciting and messiest developmental milestones of the first year. At this stage, the design priorities shift to the baby: an ergonomic handle that a small hand can grip confidently, a bowl depth that gives the baby feedback about loading the spoon, and a construction soft and flexible enough to be safe during enthusiastic and not always accurate self-directed eating.
The Beaba Baby Spoon Range
Beaba 1st Stage Silicone Spoon — Baby's First Spoon
The Beaba 1st Stage Silicone Spoon is the quintessential baby's first spoon — soft, safe, and perfectly designed for the earliest weeks of weaning from around 4 months. The shallow silicone bowl delivers small, appropriate portions for a baby just discovering solid food, while the long, rounded handle makes it comfortable and easy for parents to hold and control during the early days of spoon feeding
Now available in a two-tone design a beautiful update to a genuinely functional classic that has been trusted by Australian parents for years
Key features:
- Soft, food-grade silicone bowl — ultra-gentle on sensitive gums and the developing palate
- Shallow bowl — appropriate portion size for first-stage weaning
- Long, rounded handle — comfortable for adult-led feeding, suitable for all bowl and portion sizes
- Two-tone design — now available in Mineral/Sage Green colourway
- Available as a set of 4 — enough to rotate through a full day of feeds
- BPA-free, dishwasher safe
- Suitable from 4 months
Best for: Parent-led spoon feeding in the earliest weeks and months of weaning — the ideal baby's first spoon for Australian families starting solids
Beaba 1st Stage Silicone Spoons 2-Pack with Travel Case
For Australian families who are regularly out and about during the weaning stage, the Beaba 1st Stage Silicone Spoons 2-Pack with Travel Case adds a hygienic, portable storage solution to the same trusted first stage spoon design. The travel case keeps spoons clean and protected in the nappy bag, avoiding the inevitable rummage through the bag for a clean spoon at a café table or at grandma's house
Key features:
- 2 x 1st stage silicone spoons — same trusted design as the 4-pack
- Included travel case — hygienic storage for on-the-go feeding
- BPA-free, dishwasher safe
- Suitable from 4 months
Best for: Families who feed on the go regularly and want the convenience of a built-in hygienic carrying case for their baby feeding spoons
Beaba 2nd Stage Silicone Spoons 4-Pack — For Self-Feeding
The Beaba 2nd Stage Silicone Spoon marks the transition from parent-fed to self-fed designed specifically for babies who are beginning to reach for the spoon and attempting to guide food to their own mouth. The ergonomic handle is shaped and sized for a baby's grip shorter than the first stage spoon and designed to sit comfortably in a small hand during the enthusiastic, often sideways, self-feeding attempts of the 7–10 month stage
The silicone bowl is soft and flexible, safe for independent use during the inevitable banging, mouthing, and generally non-traditional use of cutlery that characterises early self-feeding while remaining firm enough to load food and provide the feedback a baby needs to develop spoon coordination
Key features:
- Ergonomic handle sized and shaped for baby's self-feeding grip
- Soft, flexible silicone bowl — safe for independent use and mouthing
- Bowl depth appropriate for self-loading during the 2nd stage
- Set of 4 — enough for a full day's rotation without constant washing
- BPA-free, dishwasher safe
- Suitable from around 6–8 months when self-feeding begins
Best for: Babies beginning to self-feed — the essential self-feeding spoon for the second stage of the weaning journey
Beaba Silicone Pre-Spoons 2-Pack — The Earliest Introduction
For families who want to introduce the concept of a spoon even earlier from around 4 months during the very earliest tastes of solid food the Beaba Silicone Pre-Spoons offer an ultra-soft, flexible option designed for the most sensitive stage of all
Pre-spoons are shallower and even softer than standard first stage spoons designed to introduce the sensation of a spoon in the mouth without any firmness that might startle or discomfort a baby tasting solid food for the very first time
Key features:
- Ultra-soft silicone — the gentlest introduction to spoon feeding
- Shallow, minimal bowl — designed for the very first tastes
- Safe for mouthing and exploring
- BPA-free
- Suitable from 4 months
Best for: The very earliest introduction to spoon feeding particularly for cautious babies or parents who want to introduce the spoon sensation before beginning regular weaning
Beaba 2nd Stage Ergonomic Cutlery — Spoon and Fork Set
As your baby progresses from spoon-only self-feeding to exploring a fork alongside their spoon, the Beaba 2nd Stage Ergonomic Cutlery Set provides a matched baby spoon and fork in a single purchase both designed with the same ergonomic grip philosophy as the 2nd stage spoon
The fork tines are short, rounded, and completely safe for toddler self-feeding designed to pick up soft food pieces during finger food and early BLW stages, while the spoon provides the familiar self-feeding vehicle babies have been developing since the second stage began
Key features:
- Matched spoon and fork set — coordinated design for a complete self-feeding kit
- Ergonomic handles shaped for baby and toddler grip
- Safe, rounded fork tines — designed for soft food pieces
- Soft silicone construction on both utensils
- BPA-free, dishwasher safe
- Available in multiple colourways including Airy Green and Peacock
Best for: Toddlers ready to explore a fork alongside their spoon — the natural progression from the 2nd stage spoon to a complete self-feeding cutlery set
Baby Spoon Stage Guide — Which Spoon Does My Baby Need?
| Baby's Age | Stage | Best beaba Spoon |
|---|---|---|
| From 4 months | Very first tastes | Beaba Silicone Pre-Spoons |
| From 4 months | Parent-led spoon feeding | Beaba 1st Stage Silicone Spoon (4-pack or 2-pack with case) |
| From 6–8 months | Beginning self-feeding | Beaba 2nd Stage Silicone Spoons 4-Pack |
| From 10–12 months | Adding a fork | Beaba 2nd Stage Ergonomic Cutlery Set |
| From 12 months+ | Full cutlery | Beaba Toddler Cutlery range |
Why Silicone Baby Spoons Are the Right Choice
Every baby spoon in the Beaba range is made from food-grade silicone and for the weaning stage, this is genuinely the best material choice:
Soft and gentle — silicone is significantly softer than plastic or metal, making it genuinely comfortable against sensitive gums and the tender palate of a baby encountering a spoon for the first time. This matters most in the first stage when the sensation of a spoon is completely new and can be alarming if it feels hard or cold
Flexible — a flexible silicone spoon responds naturally to the unpredictable movements of a baby's mouth during self-feeding bending rather than resisting when a baby bites down, mouthes the spoon, or pushes it to one side
Temperature neutral — unlike metal, silicone doesn't conduct heat meaning a warm puree won't make the spoon uncomfortably hot, and a cold food won't make it uncomfortably cold against sensitive baby skin
Non-porous and hygienic — food-grade silicone doesn't absorb odours, staining, or bacteria from repeated use. A silicone baby spoon is as hygienic on day 100 as it is on day one
BPA-free and chemically safe — Beaba silicone baby spoons are completely free from BPA, phthalates, and other harmful additives safe for direct food contact and safe for babies who mouth their spoons constantly during self-feeding
Dishwasher safe — food-grade silicone survives repeated dishwasher cycles without degrading, discolouring, or losing its shape making daily cleaning genuinely effortless
Tips for Introducing a Baby Spoon
Start with small amounts — in the first stage, the goal is introducing the concept of a spoon and solid food, not the volume consumed. A small amount on the tip of the baby feeding spoon is all you need in the earliest sessions
Let baby mouth the spoon — in the pre-spoon and early first stage, letting your baby hold and mouth a spare spoon while you feed them with another keeps them engaged and starts building familiarity with the utensil
Introduce the 2nd stage spoon early — many parents wait until their baby actively grabs for the spoon before introducing a self-feeding spoon, but offering one earlier builds familiarity and reduces resistance when self-feeding practice begins in earnest
Expect mess — plan for it — self-feeding with a baby spoon is wonderful, developmental, and extremely messy. A Beaba silicone bib, a beaba suction bowl, and a wipeable highchair tray are your best friends for the 2nd stage spoon months
Have multiple spoons ready — with babies going through 3+ feeds a day during weaning, having a full set of 4 baby spoons allows you to rotate through the day without running a half-load through the dishwasher for a single spoon between feeds
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best baby spoon in Australia?
The Beaba 1st Stage Silicone Spoon is consistently rated as the best first stage baby spoon in Australia — soft, shallow, and perfectly designed for parent-led weaning from 4 months. The Beaba 2nd Stage Silicone Spoon is the best self-feeding spoon for babies beginning to feed themselves from around 6–8 months. Browse the full range at beaba.com.au to find the right spoon for your baby's current stage
What age should I introduce a baby spoon?
Most Australian paediatric guidelines recommend introducing solid foods and a baby spoon from around 6 months when babies show signs of readiness. However, beaba's pre-spoons and 1st stage spoons are suitable from 4 months for families who want to begin earlier exploration. Always follow the guidance of your GP or maternal child health nurse for timing that is appropriate for your individual baby
What is the difference between a 1st stage and 2nd stage baby spoon?
A 1st stage baby spoon is designed for parent-led feeding with a long adult-grip handle and a shallow bowl for delivering small portions to baby's mouth. A 2nd stage baby spoon is designed for baby-led self-feeding with a short ergonomic handle sized for a baby's grip, and a bowl depth that provides better feedback for loading food independently
Are silicone baby spoons safe?
Yes — food-grade silicone baby spoons like those in the beaba range are completely BPA-free, phthalate-free, and safe for direct food contact and mouthing. Silicone is non-porous, doesn't leach chemicals, and doesn't degrade with repeated dishwasher sterilisation making it the safest and most hygienic material choice for baby spoons
How many baby spoons do I need?
A set of 4 baby spoons is the practical minimum for a baby going through 3+ feeds per day enough to rotate through the day without washing between every feed. Having both 1st and 2nd stage spoon sets on hand allows you to offer a spare for baby to hold during parent-led feeding and transition smoothly to self-feeding without purchasing new spoons
When should I move from baby spoons to toddler cutlery?
Most babies begin transitioning from baby spoons to more structured toddler cutlery from around 12 months when their grip, coordination, and self-feeding skills have developed to the point where a more stable, fork-inclusive cutlery set is beneficial. The Beaba 2nd Stage Ergonomic Cutlery Set bridges the gap between the 2nd stage spoon and a full toddler cutlery set
Pair your Beaba baby spoons with the Beaba baby plates and bowls range for a complete weaning setup — and prepare the food that fills them with the Beaba Babycook
Free delivery on orders over $150 at beaba.com.au — the official beaba Australia store