Last February, in search of expanded thinking, the author led a group of 20 early childhood professionals on a study tour to Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). The group included two Canadians and two Aussies, with everyone else from the United States. While they knew they had much to learn from the overall system of early childhood education in NZ, the author tried to keep their focus on three particular aspects that seem to hold promise for infusing new ideas into their teacher education and professional development efforts in the United States: (1) Strengthening relationships to strengthen culture and community; (2) Seeing the environment as a reflection of values; and (3) Understanding documentation as a pedagogical tool. The trip was intensely engaging, both emotionally and intellectually, and had a profound impact on each of the delegates. In this article, the author shares her ruminations on the study tour. The author stresses that the study tour to Aotearoa New Zealand has fueled the determination of each of the delegates to resist any excuses to settle for the "dumbing-down" policies and practices that are besieging children and teachers in their early childhood centers.