Learning how to solder is a right of passage for any maker. Personally, I remember holding out for the longest time, relying on alligator clips and breadboard jumpers to complete beginner projects and simple circuits. Soldering is intimidating, and the prospect of mangling a project while you learn the basics technique can compound the anxiety.

The best way I’ve found to dip your toe in to learning to solder is with a fun, inexpensive soldering badge kit. These come in dozens of varieties, with a wide range of cost, which I’ve outlined here.

Boil them down, they’re essentially a simple LED circuit, powered by a coin cell battery. For both students and instructors, they offer a quick project with a high payoff. Plus, you literally get to wear your new skill as a badge of accomplishment. How cool is that?

For a look at ore advanced kits for beginning makers, check out our current list of the Top 5 Best Kits for Makers.

Unigeek – Unicorn Soldering Badge Kit

$11 – Check Price On SparkFun

Get a little magical with your soldering skills! The Unigeek is a beginners soldering kit that teaches you the basics of PTH and SMD soldering while assembling a light up unicorn badge with an color changing eye. Each Unigeek kit takes about 5-15min to assemble with basic soldering materials (not included), and yes, the PCB in this kit really is rainbow colored out of the bag!

Every Unigeek Soldering Badge Kit includes one multicolored unicorn PCB, a CR2032 battery holder, a pin back, and an RGB LED for the eye that slowly changes colors while powered on. All you need to supply (besides a soldering iron and solder) is a CR2032 coin cell battery since it is notincluded to make shipping easier.

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Day of the Geek – Soldering Badge Kit (Black)

$7 – Check Price on SparkFun

The Day of the Dead only comes around once a year but what if you could celebrate it any day you want? With this black version of the Day of the Geek soldering kit you will be able to learn the basics of soldering by being able to assemble a light-up skull badge! Each Day of the Geek kit takes about 5-10min to assemble with basic soldering materials (not included). Say no to sugar skulls and say yes to solder skulls instead!

Every Day of the Geek Soldering Badge Kit includes one black skull PCB, a CR2032 battery holder, a pin back, and three pairs of colored LEDs so you have the option of Red, White or Blue eyes. All you need to supply (besides a soldering iron and solder) is a CR2032 coin cell battery since it is not included to make shipping easier. Due to the different forward voltages and current draw, you shouldn’t mix the LED colors. Only use red with red, white with white, and blue with blue.

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Day of the Geek – Soldering Badge Kit (White)

$7 – Check Price on SparkFun

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Classroom Pack Blinky Badge Kits (25+)

$4 – Check Price on SpikenzieLabs

This is a set of customizable learn to solder blinky badges. An easy way to learn how to solder. These badges are assembled with through hole parts. Once the soldering is complete the two included huge 10mm LEDs will blink in an alternating pattern.

We “kick it up a notch” by including a laser cut and etched clear acrylic badge topper with the SpikenzieLabs logo. The topper catches the light from the blinking LEDs for a great effect.

The acrylic badge topper is customizable. You can have all 25+ toppers etched with the same logo and text. Alternatively you can have each one etched with both your logo and unique text. Imagine each member of your group can have their name etched onto their own blinky badge.

There are 28 solder points required to complete this badge. It will take between 10 to 35 minutes to complete depending on the skill level of the person doing the soldering.

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Learn To Solder Robot Badge

$4 – Check Price on SpikenzieLabs

$15 for 2-badge bundle – Check Price on SpikenzieLabs

Learning to solder is a great skill. We wanted to make a really cool looking, and easy ‘first kit’ for beginners. The robot’s brain comes to you pre-assembled with surface mounted resistors and capacitors, which is what makes the LEDs that you get to solder blink.

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Lumen Electronic Jewelry Beginner Solar+LED Soldering Kit – Rocket (Red)

$13 – Check Price on Amazon

• Tired of science kits that end up in a drawer after one use? The Lumen Rocket soldering project gives beginners experience with soldering, LEDs, and solar panels all in an attractive toy they’ll be proud to display.
• Only 4 components to solder onto the rocket circuit board. One each capacitor, resistor, LED, and solar panel.
• Students intuitively learn the relationship between solar power and storage.

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I Can Solder Badge by MakersBox

$14 – Check Price on tindie

Soldering can seem a bit daunting,

but it is easier than it looks and it is a skill that opens a world of DIY projects to you. This project is the perfect way to not only learn how to solder, but to show off your new found skill to your friends and family.

Unlike other simple soldering project, this one will also teach you about circuits, and how they work. And it has a switch to save the battery. More power to you!

What you get:

• A simple PCB with educational silk screen (colors vary).
• An RGB LED that will open the all the mysteries of color mixing to you.
• A resistor, which in addition to being the easiest component to learn how to solder, will also save your battery life.
• A switch, which far more than the resistor, will save your battery and allow you to sleep at night not wondering how long that color changing LED will continue to light up the room.
• A battery holder for the CR2032, the best and most cost effective lithium coin cell on the planet*.

*Note, you will have to provide said battery since the USPS believes it may catch fire and bring down aircraft.

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I Can Solder Badge v1 by PartFusion

$2.50 – Check Price on tindie

The I Can Solder Badge is a very basic soldering kit which provides an ideal platform for teaching people how to solder and is suitable for all ages.

The badge kit consists of a custom round printed circuit board (38mm in diameter), a flashing RGB LED, a CR1220 coin cell battery, a coin cell battery retainer and a butterfly clip/pin. Once the badge kit is soldered and the battery inserted, the badge’s LED will flash and change colour for approximately 24 hours.

Very basic soldering skills are required.