“…Thus, these findings highlight the importance of examining (and supporting) both cognitive and affective features of children’s pretend play. Indeed, although the majority of play‐based intervention efforts have focused on cognitive play features, such as the frequency of pretend play and quality of imagination (Fehr, Russ, & Ievers‐Landis, 2016; Thibodeau, Gilpin, Brown, & Meyer, 2016; Tucker, Schieffer, Wills, Hull, & Murphy, 2017), this study suggests that affective play processes can and should be harnessed to promote children’s adaptive functioning (Fehr & Russ, 2016; Hoffmann & Russ, 2016; Moore & Russ, 2008). For example, ongoing work may clarify when aggressive affect themes in young children’s pretend play become a risk indicator that warrants supportive efforts to help children differentiate playful, safe expressions of aggressive impulses from potentially problematic aggressive behaviors in the social world.…”