A system for manipulating virtual objects displayed in conjunction with images of real-world objects in an augmented reality environment, the system comprising: a processor; a user interface coupled to the processor, the user interface comprising an input device, a camera, and a display screen; and memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations comprising: causing an image comprising a real-world scene captured via the camera to be displayed on the display screen; causing a virtual object to be displayed on the display screen as being anchored to a primary physical element within the image; tracking the primary physical element within the image; and detecting an interaction by a secondary physical element with the virtual object; in response to detecting the interaction by the secondary physical element with the virtual object, switching the virtual object from being anchored to the primary physical element to being anchored to the secondary physical element, and causing the virtual object to be displayed on the display screen as being anchored to the secondary physical element within the image; characterized in that the instructions cause the system to perform operations further comprising: detecting removal of the secondary physical element, wherein detecting removal of the secondary physical element includes detecting that the secondary physical element is not within the image; and in response to detecting removal of the secondary physical element, switching the virtual object from being anchored to the secondary physical element to being anchored to a physical entity closest to the virtual object when the secondary physical element is removed, thereby causing the virtual object to be displayed on the display screen as being anchored to the closest physical entity within the image. a processor; a user interface coupled to the processor, the user interface comprising an input device, a camera, and a display screen; and memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations comprising: causing an image comprising a real-world scene captured via the camera to be displayed on the display screen; causing a virtual object to be displayed on the display screen as being anchored to a primary physical element within the image; tracking the primary physical element within the image; and detecting an interaction by a secondary physical element with the virtual object; in response to detecting the interaction by the secondary physical element with the virtual object, switching the virtual object from being anchored to the primary physical element to being anchored to the secondary physical element, and causing the virtual object to be displayed on the display screen as being anchored to the secondary physical element within the image; characterized in that the instructions cause the system to perform operations further comprising: detecting removal of the secondary physical element, wherein detecting removal of the secondary physical element includes detecting that the secondary physical element is not within the image; and in response to detecting removal of the secondary physical element, switching the virtual object from being anchored to the secondary physical element to being anchored to a physical entity closest to the virtual object when the secondary physical element is removed, thereby causing the virtual object to be displayed on the display screen as being anchored to the closest physical entity within the image. causing an image comprising a real-world scene captured via the camera to be displayed on the display screen; causing a virtual object to be displayed on the display screen as being anchored to a primary physical element within the image; tracking the primary physical element within the image; and detecting an interaction by a secondary physical element with the virtual object; in response to detecting the interaction by the secondary physical element with the virtual object, switching the virtual object from being anchored to the primary physical element to being anchored to the secondary physical element, and causing the virtual object to be displayed on the display screen as being anchored to the secondary physical element within the image; characterized in that the instructions cause the system to perform operations further comprising: detecting removal of the secondary physical element, wherein detecting removal of the secondary physical element includes detecting that the secondary physical element is not within the image; and in response to detecting removal of the secondary physical element, switching the virtual object from being anchored to the secondary physical element to being anchored to a physical entity closest to the virtual object when the secondary physical element is removed, thereby causing the virtual object to be displayed on the display screen as being anchored to the closest physical entity within the image. detecting removal of the secondary physical element, wherein detecting removal of the secondary physical element includes detecting that the secondary physical element is not within the image; and in response to detecting removal of the secondary physical element, switching the virtual object from being anchored to the secondary physical element to being anchored to a physical entity closest to the virtual object when the secondary physical element is removed, thereby causing the virtual object to be displayed on the display screen as being anchored to the closest physical entity within the image.