Two boys, wrestling

[MrsChipsreturns]

I have two sons aged 23m and almost 6.
The almost 6yo is very quiet, sensitive, was an easy baby and toddler. The 23m old is a whirlwind, very physical, needs lots of running, loves to be sociable.

Lately, all they want to do is wrestle eachother. Almost 6yo will take a bit of this but then he will get fed up and expect me to step in and drag 23m away.

23m old will not quit. He will keep running at 6yo and bowl him over, tackle him etc. Neither of them hit or kick but it's more tackling, rolling around etc.

Usually it ends in the youngest getting hurt, banging his head or similar. It's just constant. The only way I can stop them is to separate them. I try and stop it as soon as it starts and tell them "no fighting" but part of me thinks they almost need to do it as part of their play and to get it out of their systems.

Today I took 23m to softplay and he started to try and tackle / wrestle other children, I was horrified!

Any advice v much welcome.

Almost 6yo will take a bit of this but then he will get fed up and expect me to step in and drag 23m away.

This stood out to me. Of course you need to stop your 2 year old if he’s initiating rough play and the recipient has had enough. Your 6 year old is not there to allow your 2 year old to burn off excess energy. Time to redirect the 2 year old at home or take him to the park to run around, and help him to begin to understand boundaries.

Sorry I worded that badly but ofc I wouldn't let rough play continue if one of them has had enough. I think it find it tough because one of them will complain so I drag them apart and create a distraction and then the other child will lay giggling or kicking legs and I tempting the other back into rough play again.

We spend SO much time burning off 23m olds excess energy I can't tell you.