Top Weight loss camps for 2026/2027

Search ALL WEIGHT LOSS CAMPS   

A variety of ways to participate

After school weight loss classes and programs can give you ongoing support or offer activities that make fitness fun. 

Weight loss day camps dominate the listings and city links above. 

Overnight weight loss camps offer a weeklong immersion that facilitates deep friendships and creates memories you’ll keep forever. 

Out of consideration for some kids' insecurities, there are boys-only summer camps and girls-only summer camps in this category.

Fitness boot camps for kids maximize intensity. It may sound pejorative to some, but there are those in the industry who cheerfully refer to these as fat camps, or what some parents search for as a fat camp for teens. Chelsea Kronegold has “had the privilege of attending as a camper, counselor, and group leader [and says] Yes, you heard me, Fat camp! …. Given that everyone is at camp for the same reason, sharing similar goals and motivations, [this] is a place where we encourage and empower one another to be the best we can be.” 

Related camp options

Use our site to find many different summer camps offering a variety of outdoor activities that will get you active and outside. By nature, any summer camp should help your child lose weight, though not all are well-suited for a child with an acute weight problem. Some camps that make casual fitness fun are as follows:

Horseback riding camp is one way to find pleasure out-of-doors and engage in many activities not necessarily fitness-focused. 

Kids' golf camp is another low-impact activity that combines fun outdoors with a lot of walking and other incidental exercise. 

Baseball camp is another way to engage in less strenuous exercise while staying active. 

Kids’ yoga is another ideal way to ease into a more active lifestyle while also mindfully managing your physical activity.

Traditional camps offer a broad slate of activities that show them fun outdoors, and the joy they can gain in working up a sweat through activities as varied as ziplining, swimming, etc. 

As an aside, some other low-impact activities that let kids ease into exercise include cycling and dance. 

Negative attitudes toward these camps stem largely from attitudes south of the border. A Canadian camp will be run with heightened sensitivity, with a curriculum that's often remarkably intelligent, oriented toward wholeness and wellness. 

What are the long-term benefits of weight loss camps?

• Healthier habits that persist over time. Many weight loss camps emphasize sustainable routines around physical activity, nutrition awareness, and daily structure—habits that pediatric research shows are more likely to stick when learned in supportive group settings.
• Improved self-esteem and body confidence. Parents and counselors frequently report gains in confidence when kids spend time with peers facing similar challenges, reducing shame and increasing self-acceptance.
• Greater emotional resilience. Weight loss camps often focus on goal-setting, accountability, and coping skills, helping kids develop resilience and a healthier response to setbacks—an outcome commonly highlighted in child-development guidance.
• A more positive relationship with exercise. By framing movement as social, enjoyable, and achievable, camps can help kids associate physical activity with enjoyment rather than pressure or punishment, a key factor noted in long-term behavior change studies.
• Stronger social skills and peer connections. Shared experiences at camp foster communication, teamwork, and friendships, which parents frequently cite as one of the most lasting and meaningful outcomes of camp participation.

Read more from around the web

“What I learned from summers at fat camp.” Chelsea Kronengold.  Jan 19, 2016. teenvogue.com.

"Children’s residential weight-loss programs can work." Gately et al. 2005. PubMed.

"Forever-Fit Summer Camp: The Impact of a 6-Week Program." El Mikati et al. 2020. PMC.

"Summer weight-loss camp improves obese children’s health." Saint Louis University 2010. ScienceDaily.