What about taking the zipper out and either having it replaced or using velcro?

I meant to say we go through cycles despite everything we try. Cycles for sleep that is. A weighted blanket has helped him sleep better too. For the last 3 months he has been in our bed. He just went back down to the living room couch to sleep this week and probably will stay there for a month or two. He might go back to his bed as that happens to be the cycle. Probably when we "build a cave" (think blanket fort) over his bed one night, he'll want to sleep there again. We can't force anything really. A bribe of the computer etc... does work for one night now, but he's onto us. If nothing else, he keeps us creative in how to address getting him to sleep and stay asleep. Now if only we could get some sleep! Good luck!

Thanks. That is an interesting way to do it. :) We ultimately repaired the tent. And then he graduated to sleeping pretty consistently in his bed. And then a bunch of medical stuff and now he sleeps in the tent again for his safety and to encourage sleep. He seems to really prefer it over his bed after the medical stuff.

Just wanted to mention(told my brother the other day) when I was young, I used to babysit and she would tie a sheet on the 4corners of the crib to keep him from climbing out, it worked & didn't cost but a old sheet(recycle). This post is kinda old & that was 30+ yrs ago but I think it's still useful

We used a crib tent for as long as we could too and it was awesome! I think we added velcro tabs to ours as he too chewed the zipper.
We now give him calms forte crushed up in juice or put into his non-dairy frozen treat an hour or so before bedtime. It helps him to calm down and go to sleep. It isn't magic, but it helps him get to the point of wanting to sleep more. We have a strong bed time routine too. We try to start the routine a half an hour before bed. It is hard in the summer as he fights starting the routine because it is light so long.
He's 7 now, but when he started getting out of bed we gave him strict consequences of taking away his computer privilages for x amount of time the next morning or whatever he wanted for that time. He now knows that if he tests this he gets one chance and then we take it away. It keeps him in bed.
It did take a while to get there. The older he gets it will get a little better too. I remember 3 as being pretty exhausting and a lot of getting up in the middle of the night. There are times he still has the wake up in the middle of the night, but not as much anymore. That usually means we need to figure out what is wrong.
We did go the Melatonin route that everyone suggested, but it gave him severe night panics and the waking up was more and worse. It can effect a lot of people in that way.
Good luck!