The core of Rousseau's educational thought is the theory of natural education, and the purpose of natural education is to cultivate "natural people" whose natural nature is fully developed. Such people are actually self-reliant petty bourgeoisie elites. This idea emphasizes that education must conform to the natural course of children's natural development, that is, follow the characteristics of children's physical and mental development, while respecting children's personality characteristics.

Rousseau proved this. He understood education as "natural education", "human education" and "material education", and the latter two realized the coordination of the three on the basis of following the former.

Rousseau's natural education theory has some extreme views, such as the supremacy of nature, and education is regarded as natural growth. But at that time, this thought had great progressive significance in anti-feudal education. This idea of emphasizing that children are the main body of education opens the precedent of modern educational theory, and his argument initially touches on the role of heredity, environment and education in human development.