Why dont areas near the equator have large seasonal changes in weather?

Seasons occur because of the change in sunlight throughout the year at a given location (you get more sunlight in the summer, and less in the winter). The difference gets greater as you move away from the equator. Places that are actually ON the equator do not experience seasons at all. In Quito, Ecuador, for example, the sun rises at 6:00 AM, and sets at 6:00 PM, every single day of the year, no matter what month it is. Since their sunlight never changes, neither does their weather :)