What are the best exercises to do after a stroke?

This is an excellent question.

Safety, exercises for muscles, exercises for balance and exercises for flexibility should all be included as they will help you in the areas that you need to improve or regain your independence/mobility/access. 

Exercises can include any activity which is done regularly with a specific purpose for improving mobility e.g. exercises for the tongue, exercises for facial muscles, exercises for the arms and legs or exercises to improve balance etc.

Exercises will vary depending on your abilities and as mentioned this is why it is important to have a physiotherapist/occupational therapist who understands how stroke affects each person in different ways.  Your PT/OT will initially work with you to identify exercises that will help you improve your weaknesses.  Over time exercises can be gradually increased so that eventually, and hopefully, exercises become replaced by everyday activities.

Exercises for muscles may include: exercises for the tongue exercises for facial muscles exercises to strengthen shoulder (eg arm raise) exercises to strengthen hips/pelvic floor exercises for the biceps exercises to help with finger dexterity exercises for wrist/hand exercises to improve strength in fingers exercises for thumb exercises to increase shoulder flexibility exercises for the elbow exercises to strengthen muscles of lower arm exercises to improve hand grip

Exercises for balance may include: exercises on wobble board using upper body exercises balancing on 1 leg exercises for balance exercises on something to grip exercises with a sensory component exercises using the eyes exercises which involve walking backwards exercises focusing on sensation in legs exercises to improve visual skills exercises to improve control of body and leg movements exercises using cane/walking stick exercises and sitting exercises focused on standing (eg heel raises, leg lifts, toe raises)

Exercises for flexibility exercises to improve ankle exercises exercises focusing on the hip exercises to improve pelvic floor exercises focusing on knee exercises which include moving the leg in different directions exercises for foot and toes exercises focused on stretching arms

Other ways to exercise can also include: exercises using games exercises with pencil/pen exercises with a cup and saucer or fruit bowl exercises with a telephone exercises with computer exercises with a magazine exercises with a tray exercises using food exercises for the arms/hands exercises using household objects exercises which involve taking steps forward and back exercises to improve balance exercises focusing on sitting up.