Minor sleep issue

So this isn't huge as bottom line is Ethan goes to sleep and sleeps all night but....For about the past three or four weeks he has gone to bed, absolutely no problems but he stays awake in there for at least 2 hours usually closer to three. He doesn't cry, he doesn't call out for me. He just does not go to sleep. I listen to him over the monitor and he just talks to himself, usually practicing new words he has learnt, or more recently singing songs he has learnt.

Keeping him up later does not work as he still does it, so is awake even later into the night...

I need some ideas of how to shut his brain down. He is a real thinker of a child and I think he just can not stop.

Like I say it isn't too much of a problem as when he finally drops off he is out for the night, but he struggles in the morning to make it through to his day sleep time (11.30-12ish) and if he goes to sleep any earlier he is totally feral by about 5....

Sorry for the long post but any ideas or suggestions!! or anyone else have a toddler like this????

We have had pretty much the same bedtime routine for at least the past 8-9 months so nothing has really changed there....it really seems to have coincided with his huge leap in language skills, but I have never heard of that affecting sleep...

I had a toddler that did that, now I have a preschooler that does the same She's always taken a long time to get to sleep, and I think it's actually gotten worse as she's gotten older and more aware coz she is more into procrastination and distraction.
I was just consistent with bedtime, regardless of how long she stays awake in there she still goes to bed at the same time. I don't know what else to suggest really coz I am exactly the same, I take ages to get to sleep and I always have.

We have the same thing here, most nights we get singing and talking, can go on for up to 2 hrs, nothing in her routine has changed for the last year or so. Maybe its an age thing, I see they are about the same age? Today I also had it for the whole 2.5 hours she was in her cot for her day nap, so no sleep then but tonight fell asleep on her bedtime bottle! (must say though, it was the cutest thing, I can't even remember the last time she fell asleep on me, made me a bit teary)

Leah also sleeps through 99% of the time.

I also need to wind down, I can't just go to bed and sleep I need to read a few pages of a book or mag, DP on the other hand can be snoring in about 2 mins!!