Anyone had this issue?

[springseason22]

DD now 3.4 years. Up until a month ago used to settle down for 7.30pm to 7am sleep.
Now it takes hours to get her to bed!
Last night she finally went to bed at 9.15pm after starting bedtime routine bath books bed at 6.45pm!!!!!

She try's to stall me at any opportunity...I need water..tell me another story etc.

Evenings are gone. Hubby and I both go to bed exhausted after that.

Any tips advice

Anyone

Is she having a daytime nap?

Make sure she is tired enough at bedtime (cut daytime nap if there is one, increase exercise and fresh air, make bedtime later etc)

You then just have to be firm with her. Don't let it become a 2 hour epic. Look up Supernanny's stay in bed technique.

Hey,
We had this with our daughter and someone recommended a Yoto player which we got and has been a miracle. We now read her a story like normal and then let her pick a story for her yoto (she can also put them in herself) to listen to whilst falling asleep. Also really helped us during the night if she woke as we could put a story on. It took us 4years to finally find something to work for her to go to sleep on her own
Hope the phase doesn't last too long for u!

Is she napping? If so cut it out- if not, then she’s over tired and you have to be militant about the routine:
Drink, wee, bed, lights out and walk away

No daytime nap. Stopped napping at 2.5 years.

I will try the extra day activities.

The other thing is we are still in a toilet training time - it has been hit and miss.

I'm also getting her a new big girl bed. Currently in toddler bed cot conversion - I think it's time for different bed! Hoping this is a big part of the messing around before bed.

Regarding the cot bed to big bed...
My dd was also in a cot/bed conversion thingy and the other night we put her in the big double bed in her room and she slept so well, she woke much later in the morning too. Made me wonder if the small bed size was waking her... her cot duvet not big enough so wasn't cosy etc. Maybe. So yeah I'd give the big bed a go OP. Worth a try!

DS messes around for a while- it's part of his shutting down process and then it's like an off switch is flicked.
He doesn't get more stories after we read with him and then he 'reads' by himself. He has a small amount of water by his bed. We mostly leave him to it, but we're very lucky that he doesn't really think to leave the bed or his room. No idea how (and he's been on a floor bed since 14mo )