Three year old just plays in room when he goes to bed til late

[Turquoisetamborine]

My youngest who will be four in April was in a cot quite late. We used to tuck him in and he would talk to himself for a while after a story etc then just settle down to sleep about 7.30.
Since we managed to move him into a toddler bed four months ago he’s very reluctant to go to sleep. We do the same routine but then he gets out of bed and plays in his room. He very rarely comes downstairs but we can hear him playing so we are up and down multiple times to try to get him to settle down to sleep. It’s usually 9.30-10 that he finally asks to be tucked in once more and sleeps. He doesn’t get up in the night and wakes around 7 which isn’t enough sleep at his age.

I’m ready for bed myself at 10 so we don’t have an evening anymore and can’t watch anything on tv as all we can hear is him playing. We leave his door open at his request and the landing light on til he settles down.

Any ideas? We do have a playroom but it’s already stuffed full and we couldn’t fit the toys from his room into it as well (grandparents are constantly buying him toys but that’s another thread).

Making the bedroom "boring" may be the only way forward.

If you lack space clear out some of the toys to charity shops or family and ask the grandparents to reduce their present buying (your child's brain development takes priority I feel).

Keep the bedroom for sleep only.

We install blackout curtains which were great and a really dim night light. White noise may help as well.

Yes I think you’re right. We’ve cleared the playroom today so I’ll move some toys out of his room to make it more boring!

If he wakes naturally at 7am & is bright alert in the day then maybe it is enough sleep for him. I only slept 6 hrs/night from about 3yo.

I would just leave him to it to be honest! He sounds quite happy and it sounds like he is getting enough sleep.

Have you tried reading him a story turning out the light and sitting with him till he falls asleep? He can't play if it's dark.

I just sat with him so he had no choice but to stay in bed. Took 6 months. From 2yrs 8 months (when he transitioned to bed) until 3 years 2 months when he stopped needing my presence to make him stay in bed.

I second removing the toys, box them and stuff in garage or loft, rotate from time to time, ask GPs to not buy more.

As you have a playroom there is no need for lots of toys in his bedroom.

Turning out the light (maybe keeping a nightlight) make sense too...he may struggle at school if he is only getting that amount of sleep so it is much better to try to get him sleeping much earlier, mine were asleep at 7pm at that age and waking at 6am.

Yes, a boring bedroom is way foreward, we have books and occasionally whatever is the favourite toy (Lego man/ train etc) can go and they sit on shelf, no other toys except a cuddlynor two. Otherwise he’d play all night!

Some kids don't sleep much. My 4 year old sleeps from 10pm to 7.30/8.

He really doesn’t seem tired when he wakes up. Since I posted this he’s woken at 8.15 both mornings and settled to sleep about 9.30 so I can kind of deal with that.

We have removed most toys except books from his room and left a dim nightlight on so it seems to be slightly improving.

Thanks!