DD (22 months) keeps walking out of bedroom

[PenguinArmy]

She moved to a bed a few months ago no problems. Now she is tall enough to open the bedroom door so we're currently returning her to her bed supernanny style. It's been happening for a week now and still taking up to 30 mins.

Initially thought I'd give it a few days and then put a stair gate on her door, but (i) she'd throw her comforter and dummy out the room and (ii) it seems a bit wrong.

There is a lot of improvement from the first night but wondering if (i) people have any tips and (ii) whether she's developmentally ready for this?

My DD1 went into a bed at 21 months and like you I wasn't too keen on the idea of a stair gate over the door. Initially she didn't seem to realise that she could get out of bed and the whole transition from cot to bed was completely seemless. Then a month or so later it was like she suddenly realised she could get in and out of bed and run around - so she did. I changed my mind about the stairgate after a week or so of this - tried the quick return thing but it just didn't really work for us and she was constantly running around. I was also worried on the safety front (e.g. if she woke up in the night and started wandering / fell down the stairs etc. So we put a gate up with no issues. Yes, her teddy was thrown out a few times, but she very soon learnt not to (we did not rush to return it to her and so after a few goes she stopped throwing it over). With my next two I have put up a gate immediately on taking off the cot sides. You can get a travel style pressure mounted gate and use that when you need to - then it's not a permanent fixture. I'm sorry this probably isn't much help as it's not suggesting anything new, just my experience having come from the same starting viewpoint as you.

My DD2 has been in a bed since she was 18m but only recently started launching herself out of it and coming down the stairs. We had to use a stair gate, as we were returning her to bed up to 25 times, which became like a "game" to her. She still stands at the stair gate weeping, which breaks my heart, but eventually falls asleep on the floor (which breaks my heart again). I'd advocate the stair gate, though, as it sets a "barrier" without being cruel. Have you tried a similar principle to controlled crying, where you leave her for 2 mins then 4 then 6 then 8 and so on, comforting her between times but firmly returning her to bed? I was cynical, but have to say it worked.
Can I ask, is she still in a Grobag or equivalent? Mine is (at 21m) but am worried she is too old for one. That said, without one I worry she tosses off her covers and becomes cold in the night.
Good luck

nelly no that was useful and glad there others sunnydale. I'm one of 5 and we were all in beds early (from when we could walk), asked my mum for advice and she said none of us really did the whole leaving the room thing.

We're in a small flat so stairs and other rooms aren't really a worry. She's still in a sleeping bag as she doesn't always have her covers on. I was thinking once she's out of this size to stop and try covers as we'll be in heading into/in summer anyway.

Of course today she went off no problems :). We don't actually have to return her, she see's us stand up and then pegs it back to bed (quite funny actually) and atm we're doing jobs etc. at the same time as waiting for her to go down. It's when the baby is crying when I'm trying to get her down for naps in the week I really feel it.

I'll give it another week and DH will insist if needs me get a stair gate.