The present disclosure relates to an AR animation generation system identifies an animation profile for animating the virtual object displayed in an augmented reality (AR) scene. The AR animation generation system creates a link between the virtual object and the mobile computing system based upon a position of the virtual object within the AR scene and a position of a mobile device in a real-world environment. The link enables determining for each position of the mobile device in the real-world environment, a corresponding position for the virtual object in the AR scene. The AR animation generation system animates the virtual object using the mobile device by detecting a change in position in the real-world environment of the mobile computing system from a first position to a second position and using the link to determine a change in position for the virtual object in the AR scene from a first position to a second position, The AR animation generation system updates the AR scene to display the virtual object in the second position in the AR scene.