Executive functions (EF) have been identified as important predictors of children's proximal and distal development. Recent research highlights pretend play as a potential mechanism for EF development, and there has been a call to identify for whom pretense in most beneficial. The current study investigated whether an association found between children's propensity towards pretend play in preschool and EF skills 2 years later depended on an aspect of their temperament, specifically their ability to regulate their emotions. Importantly, this was examined in a Head Start population (N=188 children, ages 4-5), where EF skills are often delayed. Results revealed that pretense was only related to EF among children who had poor ER skills; among children who had trouble regulating their emotions in preschool, engaging in high levels of pretend play was associated with better EF outcomes in first grade. These findings suggest the need for future studies to determine if pretense interventions can assist in the development of EF among children with poor ER skills.