H.S.
We have a 2 1/2 yr old boy and we have had our share of night battles! Do you have a bedtime ritual?...brush teeth, read book, prayers, massaging head, legs, arms. We have this ritual and then we place a gate with clear plexy glass (plastic) attached to the gate (my husband attached it) This is so he can't crawl over the gate. We play soft music as well. We leave the door open and tell him we will be outside where he can see us. We has had his share of screams. We noticed that minimal talking if none is best. If he starts screaming sometimes we ignore it or we open the gate and place him back in bed without saying anything. So no reaction from us bores him and he eventually gives up. We do tell him a second time that it is time for bed. We noticed the less we interact with him the better and the more we interact(going in and talking) the more he acts up.
I hope this helps. Good luck! H. S.