2 yr old now in big bed - getting out to play with toys until 9pm!

[Snowtiger]

Advice needed please!

Last week we moved 2.4 year old DS into his big bed in his new bedroom - in anticipation of DC2 arriving in April. It's all very exciting for him and (thank God) it went without too much of a hitch, in that he's requested to sleep in his new room and is very pleased with his new curtains, big bed, being a big boy etc.

The only problem is that despite the bedtime routine being almost exactly the same as it was in his old room (he used to be in a cot bed, without the cot sides so he could - and did - get out of it) he's now getting up and either coming up with endless excuses for more attention (mouth hurting, need bonjela, need calpol, done a poo etc) or playing with his toys / reading books. As I say, he used to do this to some extent when he was in a cot bed in his old room, but he's doing it for much longer now in his new room.

Last night we had to get up to him countless times, putting him back to bed, between 7pm and 9pm. When I went up at 9pm and he was quietly doing a jigsaw (bless him!) I put him into bed, sat down next to him and he was asleep within 10 minutes, presumably as he was so knackered!

I don't want to have to sit next to him every night until he goes to sleep though, so what do I do? Apart from taking all the toys & books out of his bedroom, which seems a bit harsh - is there an answer? Stapling him to the bed perhaps?!

Has anyone else had this problem? Should I just go for a week's constant rapid return a la Supernanny or what?

All help / advice gratefully received!

I had this issue recently dc 2.2 was getting out of bed and playing with toys - so I took them away - I now put a basket of toys in his bedroom when I go to bed so that when he wakes up in the morning he can play with them and that seems to be working well.

I don't really like toys in bedrooms for the above reason.

same here - had to remove toys until ds got used to being in a bed (he ws 17mths when went into bed) and before bed I also put his tpy tub back in his bed.
He's fine going to bed now so can have stuff in his room, but we always clear it into the toybox so it's not visible and tempting from the bed.

Our DD is doing the same. We are just letting her, hoping she will get over the novelty at some point. It also means she is having a slightly longer nap in the afternoons which suits us well anyway.

Once she has gone to bed, i leave her for an hour or so, then go up and tell her to get into bed, and will keep telling her if i can hear her running about.

Another option is to take the toys out or put him to bed earlier.

Hmm, think taking the toys away until I go to bed is looking like the best option - thanks for your tips ladies.