Toddler bedtimes driving me crazy!

[buddy79]

Our 2.4 month old is driving me nuts.
He is in a toddler bed from which he can get out, open his own bedroom door, and go into the hallway. Some days he naps, for a max 30 mins, others he doesn't, this seems to make no difference. Every evening he gets out of bed AT LEAST twenty times, often upto 40 or 50, and we replace / soothe until he eventually drops off anywhere 8:30 - 9:30 onwards. It can take about 1 1/2 hours. It is very very frustrating.
DH and I have different views about the best strategy. What are your opinions, should we:

A) stay in the room with him trying to soothe him to sleep
B) let him just play in the hall (he will do this quite happily and safely)
C) repeatedly put him back into bed until he gets the message
D) just not bother starting bedtime till much later?

It's the repeated putting back to bed I can't bear! I hold out hope that once he stops napping he will be tired earlier but it hasn't happened so far.... thanks

C and drop the nap.

Get a baby gate - I have a tall one on my sons room. He goes to bed and shouts me several times. I go up once to check he's alright, tell him to go to sleep and leave him after that. It might take a few nights of crying at the gate but as long as you're not putting him to bed before 6:30 I think he will get the message

My son is almost three btw

Definitely do not stay in the room with him, you are just making a rod for your own back doing that

C without any talking or soothing

Get a stair gate on his door, we have for my 3 yr old. I could not be doing with him constantly getting out of his room. Alternatively C.

C without a doubt. Firmly replace him in bed each and every time with as little interaction as possible. It's the only way to discourage him for good.

And get a gate for his room.

Agree with everyone else! Drop the nap, get a gate and return him to bed.
Might also be worth considering a groclock.
My ds did something similar at a similar age (although not on that scale!) I went in once after he had gone to bed and tucked him back up after that would just call out to him ' it's sleepy time get in bed'
The first night he fell asleep at the gate, second night messed about but got back in bed, third night realised he was wasting his time and went to bed properly.

He used to come up with a huge list of reasons why we should go to him 'I'm thirsty, hurt my hand, leg etc' my favourite was 'I'm crying' (he wasn't physically crying!!)

Definitely, definitely C, and I second the gro-clock. I used it for DD1 wm from 2 until she could tell the time and will use it with my two little ones as well.

Drop the nap,
Keep the hour before bed chilled- no screens , warm bath etc
Bring bedtime earlier (7ish) so not over tired and don't let them sleep in to late In the morning
Oh and C of all the strategies with maybe a cool night light and shut the door

Thanks all, we are now going for a united front option C and feels better to at least have a plan. We do have a gro clock aswell, will give that a go now too!
And lol at 'I'm crying' whilst not crying that cheered me up!!