Obama arrived in his father's native Kenya on Sunday, where he paid courtesy calls on President Uhuru Kenyatta and main opposition leader Raila Odinga.
On Monday he flew to the west of the country, where under extremely tight security he paid a visit to the home of his step-grandmother Sarah Obama in the village of Kogelo.
Obama is in Kenya to launch a youth centre set up by his half-sister Auma Obama.
Addressing the media last week, Auma said the state-of-the-art centre would give local youth access to books, internet and sporting activities.
They will also be able to benefit from classes on work ethics, civic education, environmental conservation and financial literacy.
The centre includes an international standard size football pitch sponsored by the German ministry of development cooperation, a basketball court funded by the Giants of Africa Foundation, and a volleyball/netball court and other facilities, including a library and IT lab.
The centre is set to also offer adult education.
When Obama visited Kenya in 2015, he was unable to visit his father's village due to security concerns, and vowed to return when he was no longer "wearing a suit" and contribute to the development of young people.
Kenyan television showed the former US leader pulling his grandmother Sarah Obama, clad in traditional garb, onto the dance floor and getting down to some music.
Obama, America's first black president and a favourite in Africa, was also shown touring the Sauti Kuu Centre, sporting a casual white shirt and a pair of shades.
Locals hoping to get a glimpse of Obama lined the roads near the centre, with one school girl telling Kenya's NTV "I'm happy to see our elder brother come today."
After Obama arrived in the country Sunday he met with President Uhuru Kenyatta, who tweeted "It was great to welcome you back @BarackObama."
Obama will head to South Africa on Tuesday to give a key speech for Nelson Mandela's centenary – his first major public address since leaving office
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