Going to bed but not going to sleep for hours!

[Mrs P]

DD is nearly one. She's very 'easy' to put to bed, and has her sleeping bag and her comforter. But almost every night she doesn't actually go to sleep for ages, sometimes 1.5-2 hours.
She rolls around, talks to herself and her comforter, kicks the cot etc. She normally won't cry unless she drops the comforter.
I'm just wondering if any other little ones do this too? She's been doing it for months and the length of 'Pre sleep' is getting longer! Previously a MCHN told me it's her way of downloading what she's done during the day, thinking about what she's seen, done etc.

Her routine is usually 6pm dinner 630/645pm bath and bed by around 715pm. I haven't tried keeping her up longer as she's always tired and definitely seems ready for bed. She usually wakes at 7am and has her first nap around 1.5-2 hrs later (though on her 2 daycare days it's 3 hrs usually!). Has a second nap around 1pm.

[~Hestia~]

My son goes through stages where he rolls around in his cot chatting to himself, at the moment he likes taking a car to bed with him We can hear him in there having a grand old time and he does eventually nod off. It used to stress me out but now I figure if he's not crying out then he's happy.

[~Trish~]

My DD does this when she's had too much sleep during the day (i.e a 3 hour nap). You might find that when your DD drops her second nap she will go to sleep a bit quicker. As long as she's happy though I wouldn't be worried. I find it cute when DD chats and plays happily before falling asleep

[*EJ*]

My DS2 (almost 2.5) does this and has for some time.

DS1 & DS2 have same bedtime routine, they like to fall asleep in DS1's bed and i could often go in an hour so later and he's still calmly lying there.

He does still have a day sleep and he really does need it otherwise the afternoons are hard work. Lately he has been protesting the day sleep but when he finally he gives in he'll sleep for 3-4hrs.

On the few days where he does not have a day sleep he'll fall asleep much sooner but either way is not presenting to be something that is 'not working'.

If she's happy just let it go

[Little Chicken]

My 2.5 year old does this. She goes to bed, I read her some books, and she will then happily lay therein semi darkness "reading" them to herself. She is happy, so I don't stress.

[OceanPrincess]

She is happy, so I don't stress.

Same approach here. My 2.5yo sings to herself, sometimes for an hour or so. Current fave is Old Macdonald! Don't stress about it.

[mrscricket]

My DS was the same at that age - I figured it was a good thing that he could drift off to sleep in his own time!

[*TripleJ*]

my DS is 2 and he gets out of bed and turns the light on and plays around then i go in there a few hours later and turn the light off and fix his blankets if i need to doesnt bother me as long as hes happy

[starangelk]

My DD does this sometimes too but never at night, just during the day. I find it cute and I don't care as long as she's not crying

[Mrs P]

Good to hear that this seems a fairly normal behavior! Thanks gals