A method for monitoring user activity in a physical activity scene on a tangible physical activity surface, the method comprising: displaying, on a display of a computing device, a graphical user interface embodying a virtual scene and including an animated character; capturing, using a video capture device coupled to the computing device, a video stream of the tangible physical activity surface proximate to the computing device, wherein the tangible physical activity surface proximate to the computing device is the physical activity scene on which the user creates a work, and the video stream including a plurality of sets of points; determining, using a processor of the computing device, a first set of points and a second set of points from the plurality of sets of points; comparing, using the processor of the computing device, the first set of points and the second set of points based on a criteria; determining, using the processor of the computing device, a state of the work in the physical activity scene based on the comparison; determining, using the processor of the computing device, an attribute related to the work; determining, using the processor of the computing device, an interaction routine executable to animate an interaction between the animated character and a visualization of the work in the virtual scene based on the attribute related to the work and in response to determining that the state of the work is complete; executing, using the processor of the computing device, the interaction routine to animate, on the display of the computing device, the interaction between the animated character and the visualization of the work; and storing, using the processor of the computing device, a first image frame at a first instance of time of the video stream that includes the work, in response to determining that the state of the work is completed; comparing, using the processor of the computing device, a second image frame at a second instance of time of the video stream with the first image frame to detect a difference, the difference including a new work in the physical activity scene; generating, using the processor of the computing device, a visualization of the new work based on the difference by filtering out the work present in both the first image frame and the second image frame; and presenting, on the display of the computing device, the visualization of the new work. displaying, on a display of a computing device, a graphical user interface embodying a virtual scene and including an animated character; capturing, using a video capture device coupled to the computing device, a video stream of the tangible physical activity surface proximate to the computing device, wherein the tangible physical activity surface proximate to the computing device is the physical activity scene on which the user creates a work, and the video stream including a plurality of sets of points; determining, using a processor of the computing device, a first set of points and a second set of points from the plurality of sets of points; comparing, using the processor of the computing device, the first set of points and the second set of points based on a criteria; determining, using the processor of the computing device, a state of the work in the physical activity scene based on the comparison; determining, using the processor of the computing device, an attribute related to the work; determining, using the processor of the computing device, an interaction routine executable to animate an interaction between the animated character and a visualization of the work in the virtual scene based on the attribute related to the work and in response to determining that the state of the work is complete; executing, using the processor of the computing device, the interaction routine to animate, on the display of the computing device, the interaction between the animated character and the visualization of the work; and storing, using the processor of the computing device, a first image frame at a first instance of time of the video stream that includes the work, in response to determining that the state of the work is completed; comparing, using the processor of the computing device, a second image frame at a second instance of time of the video stream with the first image frame to detect a difference, the difference including a new work in the physical activity scene; generating, using the processor of the computing device, a visualization of the new work based on the difference by filtering out the work present in both the first image frame and the second image frame; and presenting, on the display of the computing device, the visualization of the new work.