Ecological education is essential for fostering sustainable development and nurturing an ecologically civilized society. It is imperative to embed ecological principles within the pedagogical framework of early childhood education. This study explores the integration of environmental concepts into kindergarten curricula, adopting a child-centric approach to curriculum development. An innovative strategy for specialized programs in kindergartens is proposed, grounded in ecological education principles. Utilizing item response theory, this strategy evaluates young children’s environmental literacy through item characteristic curves and information functions. Additionally, the effectiveness of the specialized, garden-based curriculum is assessed using clustering algorithms. Research conducted in X and N kindergartens reveals that the average scores for the condition, process, and result quality dimensions are 4.3212, 4.3257, and 4.2717, respectively—all surpassing the threshold of 4. These findings indicate that the specialized programs significantly meet the developmental needs of both children and teachers, effectively enhancing the conditions, processes, and outcomes of ecological education in kindergartens.