Storypark Learning tags by Phoenix Support for Educators
Welcome! This page supports StoryPark documentation using Phoenix Support / Phoenix Cups
®
learning tags, for educators and the families they share them with.
Educators -
If you’re adding Phoenix Cups
®
tags to stories or plans, this page gives you a clear, educator-friendly description of what this tag means, what it can look like in children’s learning and behaviour, and wording you can use in documentation. You can also share this page with families through StoryPark, so when they click the tag they get a simple explanation of what you’re noticing and how you’re supporting it.
Families -
If you’re here, it’s because your child’s educators have used a Phoenix Cups
®
tag in a StoryPark story or plan. The Phoenix Cups
®
is a simple framework that helps adults make sense of what children need in the moment - and how we can support those needs in healthy, practical ways. Below, you’ll find a plain-language explanation of this tag, along with examples of what it can look like and what your educators might be building or supporting.
The Phoenix Cups ®
The Phoenix Cups is a simple way to understand what children (and adults) need for their wellbeing, and why they behave the way they do. We use five “Cups” to represent five basic human needs: Safety, Connection, Freedom, Mastery, and Fun. When a Cup is emptying, children are driven to fill it - that’s the Will to Fill, and it can look like big feelings or tricky behaviour. Over time, with support and practice, children learn more helpful ways to meet the same needs - that’s the Skill to Fill.
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Safety Cup ®
The Safety Cup represents the need for children to feel safe in their bodies and safe in their world. It includes physiological safety (food, water, rest, health, being protected from harm) and psychological safety (predictability, trust, emotional steadiness, feeling secure enough to cope). When a child’s Safety Cup is emptying, the Will to Fill can look like big reactions, clinginess, control-seeking, or shutting down - their nervous system is trying to get them back to “safe”. With steady support, children build the Skill to Fill over time through rhythms and rituals, co-regulation, and small choices that help them return to calm and security.
Connection Cup ®
The Connection Cup motivates us to belong and feel safe with other people. It’s filled through love, friendship, being seen and understood, and having a place where you matter. When this Cup is emptying, the Will to Fill can look like clinginess, “connection seeking”, withdrawing, or big feelings, because your child’s nervous system is pushing them back towards closeness and reassurance. Over time, children build the Skill to Fill as they learn safer ways to reach for connection, cope with separation, and keep relationships strong, even when they’re upset.
Freedom Cup ®
The Freedom Cup is a child’s need for autonomy, choice, space, and self-direction - that feeling of “I get some say here.” When this Cup is full, children tend to cooperate more easily and manage everyday demands without feeling trapped. When it’s emptying, the Will to Fill can look like a strong “no”, resistance, bargaining, or doing the opposite of what’s asked, because even small demands can feel personal. Over time, children build the Skill to Fill when adults offer respectful choices, give them a way to have input, and support safe self-expression (including creativity and imagination) so they can meet their need for freedom without blowing up the day.
Mastery Cup ®
The Mastery Cup is about a child’s need to feel capable and competent. It’s filled through trying, practising, achieving, succeeding, and having some control over what they can do in their world. When this Cup is emptying, the Will to Fill can look like frustration, perfectionism, refusing help, giving up quickly, or needing to control small things - it’s often a child trying to get back to “I can do it.” Over time, children build the Skill to Fill when adults slow down enough to let them try, break tasks into doable steps, acknowledge effort & persistance, and support them to stick with something long enough to feel that little spark of competence.
Fun Cup ®
The Fun Cup represents the need for play, interest, novelty, humour, and enjoyment. It’s the part of your child that wants to learn because it’s fascinating, play for hours, explore because it’s new, and do things simply because they’re fun. When this Cup is emptying, the Will to Fill can look like silliness at the “wrong” time, constant movement, risk-taking, or pushing for more excitement, because their system is chasing that spark of joy and interest. Over time, children build the Skill to Fill when adults protect time for play, create safe ways to explore and take age-appropriate risks, and help children find fun that feels good for them and safe for everyone around them.
The Skill to Fill ™
Skill to Fill is what children learn over time, the practical ways they meet their needs in healthier, steadier ways. The Skill to Fill is the choices you build (and practise) so your needs get met in ways that actually support your life. These skills are behaviours, and they include both actions and thoughts. When Skill to Fill is still developing, we often reach for quick relief (like junk food, scrolling, snapping, or making big impulsive moves). As we get more skilled, we start noticing patterns earlier and making small plans that create real fulfilment and self-trust. Skill to Fill is what happens when we stop relying on “whatever works right now” and start building patterns that actually support our wellbeing by efficiently and effectively meeting our needs (filling our Cups).
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The Will to Fill ™
The Will to Fill is the empty part of a Cup - the pull that drives a child to meet a need when it isn’t being met. When a need is already met, we barely notice it (children aren’t thinking “I need connection” when they’ve had a good, connected day - they just feel fine). When a Cup is emptying, the Will to Fill gets louder and it can show up as big feelings or behaviours, because their brain is pushing them towards what they need. If the empty part gets big enough, the Cup gets empty, and children can slip into a stress response (fight, flight, freeze). A stress response like this is a sign that the need is urgent and they need support from trusted adults to refill and reset.
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Phoenix Support
Phoenix Support for Educators is a team of education and care consultants working across Australia (and beyond), with team members based in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. We support early childhood and school age education communities through professional development, coaching and mentoring, and practical resources. We work alongside educators and leaders to strengthen practice in behaviour guidance and children’s development, educator wellbeing, inclusion, pedagogy, quality improvement, documentation and learning inquiry - drawing on contemporary education research, evidence, neuroscience and psychology, with a strengths-based approach.
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