This PICAXE-20M Starter Pack (AXE005U) is a self-assembly kit, based on the PICAXE 20M2 Microcontroller. The starter pack is targeted at schools and general educational purposes, but the open design also makes it very useful for hobbyists to use it as a project board, or for any one who wants to self study, or learning by experimenting.
The 'starter pack' includes both a training board and a battery box. The software needed is free, so all extra you need to get started, is a computer and batteries. Furthermore, free training resources and tutorials are provided in the PICAXE manual (Part 1 - Getting Started).