Early rising toddler

shiny76

We did a lot of research as our eldest is an early riser.  We've made do with a Groclock and sticker chart (sticker for every time stays in bed until 'the sun comes up') X stickers = a reward activity (which we'd have probably done anyway

Obviously 18 months thats not going to work, however during my research I did read about a technique where you actually wake the child slightly earlier than their natural time.  BUT then sooth them back to sleep.  Apparently it resets their rhythm and buys you more sleep time. They do this over a few days.  Might be worth a try!

Moireach

Toys and music (like Disney nursery rhymes etc.) works. Gro Clock and Gro Blinds (if you don't have permanent black outs) are good too. There are no easy answers though as I'm sure you are aware by now.

LilElvis

As our daughter insisted on having her bedroom door left ajar we took the side rails off her cot and put a travel stair gate up across the doorway to prevent escape. You could use a smart plug to turn on a light in his room so that he can see to play - either at a set time or when you hear him moving about - as then you won't have to enter the room. Smart plugs are also handy to turn off lights at night if going in his room wakes him. 

Spendless

Tbh if I was an 18 month old rising at 5.30 and then I got mum's attention who was singing nursery rhymes etc to me, the last thing I'd be doing is entertaining myself or even going back to sleep. I think you need to remove yourself as 'entertainment provider' at this time. Give them something 'gentle' to play with and make everything 'low key' until a more suitable time to you. I promise by the time he's a teen his complaint won't be 'mum didn't play with me at 5.30am when I was a toddler' and if it is, consider yourself got off lightly. I do sympathise, I had one that considered sleep optional, which is how I know cbeebies doesn't start till 6am! It got better when he got to 12 and now he's 20 it's no longer my problem! 

EdinburghDarren

A friend had the same issue regarding her toddler daughter.
She was advised to turn down the temperature or have start time on her central heating start later in the morning.
She did and her daughter sleeps till later and it appears she was overheating and it was causing her to wake.
Worth a try?

Guineapigsqueaks

My first woke at 6am right up until he started school.  But he slept right through as soon as night feeds were no longer needed and was down by 7pm every evening.  So 6am awake was fair enough. Occasionally, he would be awake that little bit earlier and we felt it!  We just went to bed a little earlier ourselves and took it in turns to get up and watch a bit of children's TV with him while he had his morning milk.  You knew it was early if you were up in time for The Hoobs on C4.  Always up with him though once he was awake.  My second slept until 7am once night feeds not needed, I'd like to say I missed those Hoobs, but I didn't .  Honestly, before you know it, you'll be having to drag them out of bed in the morning....
Guineapigsqueaks x

TwoUpTwoDown

Thanks so much for all your responses. Current status: Currently rising at 6 and joining us in bed for either another hour of sleep or some repeated kicking of my body while he fidgets and is eventually coaxed to go and play in his room which he does quite happily at times And then inevitably some nursery rhymes go on for the 18 millionth time! 

Heating now swtiched off in evening, door left ajar (he's always preferred this), blackout blinds in use. Settles himself to sleep with no tears. Occasional stirrings in the night but self soothes back to sleep. Some mega-teething taking place however! 
I think the heating being down has definitely helped as he is under a duvet. 
And the idea of a grolamp for when he is able to get out of bed himself would be a really good addition. 

Can i ask what age people's toddlers started sleeping without the sides on the cot? I'm happy for him to try it so he can get himself apart from the whole falling out of bed thing. Do you just have to let them learn to sleep with that risk by experience? I was thinking of putting something soft on the floor by the bed in case he rolled out. 
The only negative is that if he can get up then i think he's the type to come in during the night rather than self settle just because he can!

Rambosmum

DS was an early riser. Got to 3am at one point. The thing that helped us was putting him to bed EARLIER! As bonkers as that sounds. He's now 4 and sleeps 6.45pm - 6.15am sometimes later. We recently had a week of later nights (7.30pm latest) and we were back at 4.50am wake ups by the end of the week. PIL didn't believe us initially until they had him for the night, put him to bed at 9pm and he was up at 5am but tired and grumpy.

I also agree a gro clock is a good idea, doesn't work straight away but set the time the sun comes up to around 15minutes after his usual wake up time and keep going  in when he wakes, pointing at the clock and saying "sleep time" or what ever phrase you want to use. Minimal interaction, low light, do not engage. Then when the sun comes up get him up straight away, big fuss, lots of happy smiley face etc then put the clock back by 5 minutes once he's used to that time and keep doing it until the desired time.