1. A method for providing input to a computer system having an interactive display surface by manipulating a physical object disposed adjacent to the interactive display surface, the method comprising the steps of: (a) executing an application on the computer system, the application having at least one attribute changeable while the application is executing; (b) detecting a location and an initial orientation of the physical object relative to the interactive display surface based upon a characteristic of the physical object when the physical object is disposed adjacent to the interactive display surface, the characteristic including at least one of a shape, a size, and an optical quality; (c) correlating the attribute with the physical object; and (d) changing the attribute in response to at least one of the location and a movement of the physical object relative to the interactive display surface.