The Top 5 Best Aphasia Exercises and Aphasia Activities

Aphasia affects communication in several ways. It can impact your reading, speaking, listening and comprehension skills, making communication overwhelming and frustrating.  For some people, aphasia can make everyday communication feel like solving a puzzle without all the pieces. However, with the right support and treatment, progress and recovery are possible.

The brain has an incredible capacity to adapt and relearn (1), especially with the right therapy and practice – that’s where aphasia exercises and activities come in.

Engaging in clinically-developed exercises and daily activities designed to stimulate language skills can significantly aid your recovery. This article examines five top aphasia exercises and activities you can do at home or in therapy, along with practical advice for making the most of each activity

Key Takeaways

• Aphasia exercises can strengthen different aspects of language, including speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
• Many of these activities can be done at home alone or with the help of family or a caregiver and can also be done in speech therapy sessions with your Speech-language pathologist (SLP).
• Reading aloud, story comprehension, and word-finding games are particularly effective for people with mild to moderate aphasia.
• The most successful therapy routines include consistency, variety, and personalization.

5 Best Aphasia Exercises/Activities

Aphasia exercises and activities are one of the primary aspects of your speech-language therapy. Here are some of the top 5 aphasia exercises and activities your speech-language pathologist may recommend.

1.    Match Pictures to Words

This is a simple brain-stimulating speech therapy where a picture is matched with its corresponding word. This exercise targets the core language functions, including word retrieval, recognition, naming, comprehension, and association skills.

How it helps:

This activity stimulates areas of the brain associated with language processing, particularly the temporal lobe, including Wernicke’s area, which is involved in naming, comprehension, and word-finding. It reinforces the connection between what you see and how it’s expressed in spoken or written form. It also improves your expressive language skills, enhances neural pathways (2), and encourages fluent communication.

How to do it:

• Use physical or digital flashcards, printed pictures, or language therapy apps like Constant Therapy.
• Start with common items and daily activities, then gradually increase the difficulty by introducing more difficult categories like animals, furniture, actions, emotions, tools, or occupations.
• Try to say the word aloud after you identify or match it correctly. If you’re helping a family member or friend, offer gentle corrections or prompts if needed.

This exercise is easy and allows you to participate actively. When you practice it  regularly, it can significantly improve your recovery, increasing your word-finding and overall communication ability.

2.    Find Alternating Words

One of the challenges people with aphasia face is difficulty saying the word that’s in their mind or finding the word. Not because they don’t know it, it just won’t come out. This is where learning to use alternative words is incredibly helpful. This activity focuses on strengthening the mental process of remembering the right word to express an idea when the exact word won’t come.

How it helps:

This exercise activates multiple brain areas related to semantic memory and language production. It exercises the left frontal lobe regions involved in speech initiation. Instead of getting stuck on a single word, this activity trains your brain to think around the word and find another word that works just as well.

How to do it:

• Start with a list of common words (e.g., “happy,” “car,” “eat”) and list 2–3 alternative words or phrases for each one.
• Use picture cards to spark word recall and generate synonyms.
• Practice describing objects or ideas using different words or phrases. For example, if “cup” won’t come to mind, try saying “what you drink from” or “glass.”
• Work with a friend, caregiver, or speech therapist to talk through options and build vocabulary variety.

You can make it fun, too. Turn it into a game: Pick a word and take turns naming alternatives or describing it in different ways. You could include hand gestures while naming for easy remembrance. Every attempt helps strengthen the brain’s language network and boosts confidence in finding words, even on tough days.

3.    Put Steps in Order

Also referred to as sequencing, this activity focuses on helping you practice putting actions in the right order. It targets parts of your brain involved in executive function and is especially useful for rebuilding routines and sharpening logical thinking.

How to do it:

• Find a family member, carer, or friend to do this with you.
• Choose a familiar or simple daily task (e.g., “making a sandwich,” “doing laundry,” or brushing teeth) and break it into 3–6 simple steps.
• Depending on your choice or SLP’s recommendation, the steps can be presented to you verbally, in writing, in pictorials if reading is difficult, or through the use of all three methods.
• These steps will be mixed up, and you will be asked to put them in the correct order
• Act it out with them. Seeing the action helps reinforce meaning, especially for people with receptive aphasia. For added practice, you may be asked to describe the task aloud after ordering the steps. This encourages both sequencing (understanding what comes next) and verbal expression (explaining it to others or themselves).

As skills improve, more complex tasks will be introduced to you. You could also use the “Put Concept in Order” approach by Constant Therapy Health.

4.    Understand the Stories You Hear

This exercise or activity involves using short stories or passages to enhance listening and comprehension. It’s especially beneficial for individuals with receptive aphasia, who may hear speech clearly but struggle to understand. Basically, it targets Wernicke’s area, the part of the brain responsible for understanding language. Repeated exposure to structured listening tasks enhances neural plasticity, which is the brain’s ability to form new connections.

How to do it:

• Listen to a short story or sentence, read aloud or played from a video or audio.
• After the story, answer one or more basic questions like:
  • Who was in the story?
  • What happened?
  • How did it end?
• If needed, listen to the story slowly or in parts. You can also repeat key sentences and emphasize important words.

In addition to answering questions, you can perform a task based on what you understand from the story. This could involve drawing a picture of what happened, sequencing events, or acting out a scene. The goal of this exercise is to help your brain pick out key details, understand the main idea, and hold on to important information long enough to make sense of it.

5.    Read a Paragraph Aloud

Reading a paragraph pulls together several skills at once: recognizing words, understanding sentences, and making sense of ideas. On the other hand, reading aloud supports both expressive and receptive language by connecting written and spoken word forms. It improves fluency, rhythm, and pronunciation – all essential pieces of speech production.

How to do it:

• Start with short, simple paragraphs, just 2–3 lines. Use content that’s familiar and relevant to everyday life.
• Ask questions after reading
• If you’re comfortable, you can read the paragraph out loud. If that feels overwhelming, you can take turns reading one sentence each.
• Use visual support if needed

Tip:

Use text messages, or social media posts as real-life reading material. Reading doesn’t always have to come from a book; it just needs to be meaningful and accessible. Try using written stories or messages from family and friends, or the Constant Therapy app. Familiar names and situations often make comprehension easier and more motivating.

Does Reading Aloud Help with Aphasia?

Yes. Reading aloud is evidence-based and provides several proven benefits. It helps your brain to process written language, translate it into speech, and monitor for accuracy, all at once. This multi-channel activation promotes neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize and build new pathways.

Tip: Even 10 minutes a day of reading aloud can make a difference.

Can I Do These Aphasia Exercises at Home

Absolutely! All five activities listed can be adapted for at-home use. While working with a speech-language pathologist (SLP) can optimize results, consistency and participation at home significantly boost recovery.

If possible, combine at-home practice with professional therapy or use clinically tested apps like Constant Therapy to guide your sessions.

How Often Should These Exercises Be Done?

Staying consistent is key to your recovery. Here’s a general recommendation (3):

• Frequency: 4–5 days a week
• Duration: 20–30 minutes per session

That said, each person is different. It’s best to follow the guidance of a speech-language pathologist, especially if aphasia is severe or paired with cognitive impairments.

What Other Treatments Can Help with My Aphasia?

While exercises are essential, your speech-language pathologist will likely combine them with other treatment options. These may include:

• Speech and Language Therapy – Individualized plans from an SLP
• Group Therapy – Encourages social interaction and peer practice
• AAC Tools – Augmentative and alternative communication devices
• Melodic Intonation Therapy – Uses rhythm to support speech
• Teletherapy and Mobile Apps – Like Constant Therapy, offering tailored digital practice

Aphasia recovery doesn’t happen all at once, but every bit of progress matters. With the right tools and support, communication can get better, step by step.

Conclusion

Aphasia can be incredibly frustrating, but there’s hope. With consistent, engaging exercises like matching pictures, sequencing steps, and reading aloud, people with aphasia can regain communication skills and confidence. The key is regular practice, a supportive environment, and a willingness to try.

Whether you’re doing these activities at home or with a therapist, you’re taking steps toward recovery —that’s worth celebrating. Furthermore, if you’d prefer to do these exercises at home, you can find them on the Constant therapy app for free!

Written by: Dr. Ori Otokpa, MBBS

Medically Reviewed by: Dr. Danielle Kelvas, MD

References

1. Ivanova, M. V., & Dronkers, N. F. (2022, April 4). Aphasia: How our language system can “break”. Frontiers for Young Minds, 10, Article 626477. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9635485/
2. Crosson, B., Rodriguez, A. D., Copland, D., Fridriksson, J., Krishnamurthy, L. C., Meinzer, M., Raymer, A. M., Krishnamurthy, V., & Leff, A. P. (2019). Neuroplasticity and aphasia treatments: new approaches for an old problem. Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 90(10), 1147–1155. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2018-319649
3. Cordella, C., Munsell, M., Godlove, J., Anantha, V., Advani, M., & Kiran, S. (2022). Dosage frequency effects on treatment outcomes following self-managed digital therapy: Retrospective cohort study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(7), e36135. https://doi.org/10.2196/36135