Rhymes are popular tools in children's learning in many cultures, but the pedagogical underpinnings of rhyme practice are largely unknown. Drawing on insights from a study in China, this paper explores the pedagogical meaning and function of rhymes in early childhood education. Individual interviews were conducted with 10 Chinese early childhood teachers and a series of classroom observations of teachers' rhyme practices were undertaken. An overarching theme from the data was the multifunctionality of rhymes, or in teachers' words 'they can do many things'. Framed by the notion of tools in sociocultural theory and existing studies on rhymes as a pedagogical tool, this theme is discussed with reference to the discourses on mediation, habitual practice, and professional support which bring to the fore some issues in Chinese early childhood education.