I have seen a few posts where churches do not order the children's learner packets. Any suggestions on how to teach and emphasize the lesson without them? Also, any ideas to send home with them so they can show others what they have learned?

I am considering NOT using the learner packs this year. For the preschoolers we will probably copy coloring pages from a "Bible Story Coloring Book" which coinsides with that days lesson. We will print that days bible verse on the coloring page. Our daily crafts will also go along with each days lesson to emphasize and reinforce what they have learned.
I send daily news reports home with the children which I prepare in advance of VBS, Day 1-Today we learned about....our bible verse was... we sang a song about... Something simalar for the older children, add a reminder about family night, what the VBS offering is going for, if there is a competition between boys and girls-etc. The learner-book time for the children will be used to "dig-deeper" into the Bible Story. There are more than enough activities, games, etc listed in the Leaders guides. There are also websites which allow you to create search-a word and cross word puzzles on any subject. There never seems to be enough relationship building time with the children because we are trying to rush through everything to make it to the next rotation.We intend to be slower paced this year.