Help! Little co-sleeper won't sleep!!!

[simplify]

Does anyone have some advice for a co-sleeping family with a 2 1/2 year old who will not sleep???
A little background information...
Our 4 year old and 2 1/2 year old go to bed at about 8:30 in their own beds in their shared room. At some point after my husband and I have gone to sleep, they both come in to sleep with us. The "4" goes right to sleep, but the "2" is up all night! He walks around, gets out toys and books, talks and turns on lights. On some nights this goes on until 2 or 3 a.m. Then he's up at 5 or 6 and ready to go again. Neither of the boys take naps because then they don't go to sleep until 10 or 11!
I'm too tired and involved to think about this objectively, so I could use some help...
Thanks!

[wombatclay]

I wish I could offer some help mama, but my dd is only 10 months, so I haven't reached that point on the baby sleep adventure yet!

I have no idea if this would work, but maybe set up a sort of "sleep game" with your youngest? Like....I don't know..."let's pretend we're on a raft in the middle of the sea...you have to stay on the raft but can you lean off the edge and count how many fishes you can see? You have to be veeeeeeerrrrrry quiet or you'll scare the fishes away". Or something like that where the elements of the game prime your little one for sleep?

Or perhaps have him help you "box up"/"put to sleep" the toys and books and whatnots in your bedroom before his first bedtime so that when he comes in later there aren't as many things to distract or appeal to him? And then help "wake them up" in the morning?

Sorry I don't have any practicle advice, but I'm pretty sleep deprived myself right now and couldn't leave this thread without offering you a hug and hopes that a more experienced mama will have some ideas for you!

[simplify]

Thanks for the support! That was my first posted query and it makes me feel better just to hear that someone cares.
By the way, he is exploring the whole house and getting things out. He is an adventurer!

[wombatclay]

Yikes!

We have a baby gate across our bedroom door since dd will sometimes "sneak" out of bed to play on the floor (we have some of her books and a doll on the lowest shelf of our bookcase in the bedroom) and we don't want her wandering further than that!

At 2 your ds could certainly defeat a baby gate, but...ummmm...I hope a mama with a toddler has some ideas for you.

And Welcome to posting on MDC! Hope you have a wonderful time and get some good ideas soon. Really the only thing I can think of is making a game out of staying on the bed. :)