Invite custodians to story time

Invite your custodian to join your class on the carpet for story time. If they’d like to, they can even be the guest reader. Check out these 10 Books That Celebrate School Custodians to find the perfect read.

Create heartfelt thank-yous

Words of thanks really do mean a lot. Create individual cards, or work on a big version from each class instead. Be sure to express what makes your custodial staff extra special. Read this open letter to custodial staff for inspiration, then have students write their own.

Write them a book

Take things a step further by putting together a whole book of thank-you notes! Have each student write a note or draw a picture, then bind them together into one sweet gift.

Sign a banner

Create a big banner full of notes from kids and staff. It’s easy to make and sure to make them smile!

Give them a social media shout-out

Feature their photos and maybe even a few fun facts about each custodian. Or show them in action, helping kids along their educational journey.

Do a celebratory walk-through

Have students line the halls to cheer their custodians as they walk through! This is the kind of personalized touch that really shows staff members how valuable they are.

Deck the halls

Decorate the halls or the custodial office with signs, balloons, and other festive decorations. Let students get involved, since they’re the ones that really benefit from custodians’ hard work.

Decorate their door

Have kids decorate the door of the custodian’s room/closet with positive messages of how important the custodian is to them.

Create a certificate

Print a certificate they can hang on their wall to celebrate how much students and staff appreciate them. Include a picture for kids to color or room to draw their own.

Leave them notes

This is an easy way to celebrate National Custodian Day 2025, involving nothing more than some sticky notes! It only takes a minute or two to write a message that can really make someone’s day.

Give them a break

Ask if there are any daily tasks your students can do on National Custodian Day to give your cleaning staff a bit of a break!

Customize some cookies

Visit a local bakery and ask them to customize cookies for the special day with a custodian or cleaning theme.

Show them they’re your rock

Paint a rock with a special message for your custodial staff. You could also paint a wall mural or decorate the sidewalks leading into the school.

Buy them lunch (or dinner)

Everybody loves a free meal! Be sure to ask what they’d like, and remember to accommodate dietary restrictions when necessary.

National Custodian Day Gift Ideas

While you may not be able to buy your school custodian a car the way these teachers did, you can still give them thoughtful gifts that show how much you appreciate them. Try these cool ideas.